Synchronicity
by Kori123
Summary: My take on the PV of the twins.   The edited, beta version will be coming eventually...  FINISHED! :D
1. Prologue

Long ago, a creature appeared before the kingdom.  
One that breathed fire and had eyes like melted gold.  
It burned the villages of the kingdom.  
And many died.  
One day, an elder came forward and asked the creature to make an agreement.  
If the kingdom gave the creature something, would it leave their kingdom alone?  
The creature thought long and hard and then decided.  
In exchange for sparing their lives, the creature wanted a diva.  
A beautiful maiden who would sing it lullabies.  
The agreement was made…

* * *

Footsteps echoed through the caverns as she moved about them. Tracing each stone with her delicate fingers. She knew them each by heart, had given each one a name. She must have sung to them a million times, just as she'd sung for her master.

The girl glanced back behind her and looked back to the darkness. He was asleep for now but for how long? He'd wake soon and demand more songs she was getting tired of singing. She sighed, blowing a strand of blond colored hair out of her eyes.

She had to get out of this prison.

Carefully, quietly, she walked closer to the only light in the cave; A beam of moonlight and stars that cascaded over a small puddle of water where she often would dance, coming in from the top of the cavern. The only escape. She lifted one hand and drew a breath as she clutched her only possession; a pendant in the shape of an unfamiliar music note, given to her by no one she knew.

She held it tight, giving a sad smile to the moonlight as she looked up in apology. "Hello," she whispered. Even with her quiet tone, she could hear her voice calling back from the dark. Echoes were her only friend. "My name is Rin," she said to no one. "What is yours?"

* * *

"Hm?" The blond haired boy said, turning and glancing up at the sky. He could have sworn he'd heard something. Probably just his imagination getting the better of him again. He shook his head and bent down to pick up his music-shaped pendant. It was so loose these days, he seemed to drop it all the time.

"Something the matter boy?" Someone said from the sidelines.

The boy nodded clutching the pendant close, "I thought I heard it again, that's all." He spoke in a quiet whisper. "I know she's there."

His companions both looked at him with pained expressions, and he didn't have to turn to know what they were thinking. He stood straight up once more, shoving the necklace in his pocket as he looked up at the sky, studying it intensely.

"You don't know that for a fact," the first one said approaching the boy cautiously. He had long purple hair, tied back in a messy ponytail with two beaded together fangs in front. His eyes were gentle and yet firm and he wore some of the finest robes from his country. He had more or less been dragged into their journey and away from his studies. He wasn't one to complain however.

The second one was a man with short cropped blue hair, a comedian by any other name. He protected himself with a scarf tied around his neck and carried a sword at his side as a weapon. He was smiling fondly to the boy, though one could see he too was doubtful.

"I do," the boy said absentminded, still keeping his eyes upward. "I know she's alive. I know she's there," he said watching the clouds float by. There was something about the way he did things. The way he moved. The way he spoke. Even the way he breathed. Each motion wasn't just his own, but belonged to another. And he knew she was out there waiting.

A light breeze picked up a shroud of leafs and dust, so much that his companions lifted their hands to shield their eyes. "Hello," he said softly into the wind, eyes remaining to the sky. "My name is Len," he spoke to no one, "what's yours?"


	2. Chapter 1

I find myself living life, searching for the clear spots on my glasses.

- Sonnet 32, Song of the Brave

* * *

The campfire blaze was their only source of warmth and light, and the three of them were getting plenty of it despite the night's icy wind. They had their sleeping arrangements all sorted out and just how each one would spend keeping watch. Len would guard first shift since he was the youngest. Next would be Kaito, the clown man, and finally Gakupo, the scholar. They would begin their quest once more at dawn, continuing East.

Len threw another stick of kindling wood onto the fire, watching it turn black almost instantly. "Don't waste the timber," Kaito scolded playfully as he leaned back, setting his bowl of stew aside. The first, and probably last, good meal they'd have on their trip.

"There's a town a few miles from here," Gakupo said putting his own bowl aside, knowing he'd be the one to clean their dishes later. "We can get more supplies there if we need to."

Kaito nodded with a faint smile, "and that's why Gakupo is on this trip." He said yawning, "he's good for knowing useless knowledge."

"Unlike you," Gakupo shook his head before looking over at the blond haired boy. He'd been quiet almost the whole trip. He only spoke when it was absolutely necessary and even then it was a bare minimum. He was picking at his stew, something obviously on his mind. Most of the time the three were silent, they never even spoke of the trip in great detail. Maybe now was the time to try. "What brought this on then?"

Both Kaito and Len looked over curiously. When Gakupo didn't continue Kaito decided to speak up, "we're searching East to find the Pythoness." He glanced at Len, almost with worry, "Len is looking for his sister."

"If she's the diva, what does it matter," Gakupo said it as a statement rather than a question.

"He's going to try and rescue her," Kaito grinned. "Even if it means putting the kingdom at risk."

"Fool boy," Gakupo snorted. "Then it's an impossible quest," he shook his head, "a lot of others have searched for divas and each one has died. They say its lair is made of the ground up bones of the idiots that have tried."

"Then why did you agree to come with us?" Kaito asked with a yawn, "if you know it's impossible."

Gakupo didn't say anything. Instead, he looked over at Len, "what made you start this journey?"

Kaito opened his mouth to answer for the blond haired boy, but Len spoke up first. "Everything I ever did when I was growing up never felt like it belonged to only me. It felt as though I was never a whole. When I turned fourteen, I asked my mother about it. I felt real emptiness," he reached up and clutched his pendant. "She said I had a sister."

"The diva," Gakupo summed.

Len nodded, "yeah. She said that when we were babies, they came and took her from us. The last diva was dead and it was my sisters turn to step up. Mom didn't want me to know about her…"

"Most parents try to forget those they've lost to the beast," Kaito explained, whether to Gakupo or Len, it was uncertain. "I don't blame them. Especially having twins."

"I could feel her though," Len continued without skipping a beat. "I did my research for the past two years but nothing has come up. No one knows anything about the beast or it's location for sure. The only one that knows is the Pythoness."

"The one who speaks for the beast," Gakupo nodded, "she's said to be a beauty, cursed to forever serve a monster." He yawned and leaned back until he was down on his back, eyes closed. "I noticed we don't follow a map. How do you know where you're going if no one knows where this dwelling is?"

Kaito had been wondering that too, though he'd never thought to ask. He looked over at the blond haired boy as he sighed and looked up at the sky. "I can hear her voice. She's singing to me. Sometimes, it's so clear, I can sing back and I know she hears it." Len replied.

"That's ridiculous," Gakupo sighed, shaking his head, feeling himself start to drift off to sleep.

Kaito looked over at Gakupo then back over to Len, not sure what he could say. "He does make a point," he muttered before laying down and trying to sleep also. At sun up, they'd be on the move once more and they needed all the rest they could get.

Len looked at each of his traveling companions then shook his head and leaned back on his elbows. The only noises he could hear were that of crickets and the crackle of the firewood snapping now and again. The noises were all random, not an actual pattern to be found within. Then he closed his eyes, sucked in a deep breath and sang. "Without a certain destination, I keep pursuing east. My own shadow is the only company. I carve the distant voice on my blank map, as I seek to whom it belongs to…"

His voice was soft and carried far out with the wind. He didn't know who he was singing to or why. He just had to keep doing it. He had to let her know he was looking for her. Even if he wasn't sure how he'd do it.

* * *

"Gakupo is gone," the oracle stated as she looked over her things. "How disconcerting," she said moving a strand of pink hair out of her eyes. Luka was the oracle to the kingdom, highly gifted and able to see all she had to in order to keep things running in accordance to the laws.

"I've heard he's gone on a quest. With a strange and so-called humorous man. The two of them are accompanying a young boy to the East." Meiko said standing at attention to the oracle. She was the high swordswoman. As such, she had duties to attend to and this was one of them. "It was only a matter of time I suppose," she said cracking a witty smile. "I always knew there was something off about him."

The pink haired girl didn't seem to care for the joke. She didn't show any expression on her face as she watched the swordswoman. A stare down ensued until she turned her back and moved to the closest window. "Tell me then, Lady Meiko. You've heard that much news, where does this boy originate?"

Meiko was silent for a moment, trying to think of what she'd been told. "He lives in a small village by the sea. He is only age sixteen, and hardly a threat, if that was what you were thinking." She drew her sword at an instant, "I will cut him down myself if you would like."

"No," Luka said, finally letting a smile grace her lips. "A sixteen year old, hair as yellow as the sun. Coming from a town to the sea and pursuing something in the East." She turned to the lady swordswoman, "now who does that sound like to you?"

Meiko's eyes immediately widened, "are you saying that he…?"

"Yes," Luka said turning back to the window looking out at the half moon. "He's the brother to the diva. See to it he doesn't get further than this place." Meiko was hesitant but slowly nodded, bowing her head as she turned and left. When the soft sound of the door shutting was heard, the lady oracle let her breath finally catch up to her. "So. It's begun." 


	3. Chapter 2

We asked for a hero.  
The first was a man, strong and built. He was stopped at the second day.  
The next was a man, smart and loyal. He died on the fourth.  
No one arose for a very long time.  
The last was a boy, with a hero heart.  
He could have made it the whole way.

- Tale of Sympathy

* * *

Rin spun in tight circles on the puddle of water in her lair. Her eyes were closed as she let her body feel the beat and rhythm that hummed in her head. For a moment, it was just her and her mind set; she was anywhere she wanted to be. She was anyone she wanted to be. For a brief moment, her smile emerged, gracing her lips with the unfamiliar shape.

All at once, her peace was cut short.

She gasped and fell to her knees, doubling over in pain and clutching her head as a sharp ringing cut though her ears. A sound like a million snakes, hissing all at once in a horrid noise. Rin narrowed her eyes in slight confusion as she stared at the beast.

Not many had seen the creature of legend, not even in pictures. It was a sin and curse to try and replicate it. Out here, though, she could see it all the time. The beast took up most of the cave on one side, leather backed wings folded over themselves. It was full of scales and claws and fangs. Eyes of shining red watched her all the time, until she sung it to sleep.

"Wh…what?" Rin called in a quivering voice.

The creature cocked it head to one side a moment then opened it's mouth. She gasped again and held her head tighter. The beast had no real way of speech. Instead, it spoke through the minds of two. The Pythoness and the diva.

Sing it commanded harshly.

Rin whined, not one to object, "but…" She tried, giving the monster pleading eyes. "You asked me to just dance for you."

Sing! it hissed loudly.

She screamed that time, tears squeezing their way through her tightly shut eyes. "Okay!" She shouted back at it, "just…just stop it!" That time a different noise echoed through her mind and she hated that sound the most. The one that reminded her of broken wind chimes, shattering over glass. The creature shifted to get a better view of her. It was laughing.

Rin rubbed her eyes and stood back up when it stopped. She hated being there and hated being what she was. She looked up at it with pleading eyes again but when the creature didn't say anything, she went on. She rubbed at her throat, feeling the hoarseness already. The curse of the diva. After singing everyday for many hours, sometimes a day or two non-stop, you're voice took a beating until it was gone altogether, and the dragon had no use for her then.

She was reaching her peek. The last diva had been older than her when she met her fate. The creature must have pitied her enough. Rin wasn't nearly as lucky. She opened her mouth, singing only a few notes in a soft key before starting to dance and form words. A story of a girl trapped against her will waiting for her rescuer. The one she prayed for every single day of her dying life.

* * *

Len stopped quickly, jerking his head toward the sky. Eyes wide by the sound he'd just heard.

"What?" Kaito asked stopping also, looking over at the blond haired boy. He tilted his head then looked over at the sky. It had been a beautiful day. Clouds casting over them, making shadows dance on their path. Birds flew now and again, chirping a happy tune to them, wishing them good luck. Now the sun was setting and in the dying light it made things even more beautiful than before. "Did you see something?" He asked casually.

Len just stared a while then shook his head, turning back to the path ahead. The castle was in sight, it would only be a matter of time now. "He asked if you saw something," Gakupo urged, finding the boy somewhat rude for ignoring them as much as he did. They were traveling companions weren't they? Shouldn't they be helping one another?

"No," Len said with a weak smile, "I just thought I heard something." He was always hearing things. An invisible voice that called out to him. Maybe he was just losing his mind.

"There it is," Gakupo said when they reached the edge of the clear and looked out at the village. It wasn't much bigger than any other town in the kingdom. Trees wrapped around it like a barrier, a small river cut through on one side; a lot of the villages were like that. This one just happened to have the palace in the center. "Beautiful."

"Eh," Kaito shrugged, "see one overgrown building, see them all."

"We have to be careful," Gakupo said frowning deeply as they made their way down the patched hill and into the valley where the houses scattered. "No doubt their oracle already knows were coming."

"It's fine," Len said simply, "we mean them no harm. We're just passing by."

"Yes," Gakupo said, "but they might still find us a threat. Especially if they know of our quest."

"Why would it matter to them?" Kaito asked looking to the scholar. "You said so yourself. It's called an impossible journey. If it's impossible, why would they care to stop us?"

Gakupo shook his head, "you don't understand how things work in this castle. Their oracle, Megurine, is a very powerful one. She'll find out about us. About you Len," he said glancing back at the boy. "Believe it or not… The fire in your eyes…" He shook his head again, looking back at the castle, "we have a chance. If she knows that, she'll do whatever she can to stop us."

"Sounds like you know this place pretty well," Kaito said suspiciously.

"I use to live her," was all Gakupo said, suddenly stopping short. "Let's camp here."

Here, was a little grove of trees far too small to be called a forest. Plenty of places to set up their things and still be crowded. It was further off, hidden on the outskirts of the village where Gakupo was sure they wouldn't be seen easily.

"Now?" Kaito blinked confused. "We could probably find a hotel in town."

"Maybe," Gakupo said setting his pack down, "but I think we'll want to save our money. We've been traveling long enough for the day. Let's get something to eat, drink and just wait until tomorrow."

"You have a bad feeling," Len stated as he set his pack down too. "I'm getting hungry anyway." He wanted to keep going. He was hungry, but his stomach could deal with skipping a few meals. The more they wasted the light, even this moonlight, the further he stayed away from her. Looking at Gakupo and Kaito though… They needed it more than he did and since he was the one to drag them into this…

"Alright," Kaito shrugged, "if you two are sure." He said putting his pack off to the side also. "I think I'll go scouting though, unless either one of you has an objection." When no one said anything, he put his hood up and headed for the village.

Gakupo looked out at the village, studying it for a long time. "I think I'm going to go scouting also," he said glancing at the boy briefly. When he didn't say anything either, he shook his head and went off back toward the woods. He wanted to make sure they really were safe if only for a little while.

Len looked around for a while then slowly sat himself down. He tucked his knees up against his chest, looking up at the sky. It's all he could ever do to keep himself stable. He watched as the sky turned shades of pink and orange then faded into a purple. One star, then another, until the sky was starting to light.

"Where are you?" He asked no one, reaching in his shirt and pulling out the pendant. He twisted it all around, watching it spin in tight circles.

* * *

_"Len, you have to be more careful," the woman said, holding the pendant back out to the little boy. He just stared up at her with curious eyes. "This is a very important necklace."_

_"Momma," Len said in a tiny voice as she slipped it over his head and around his neck. He couldn't have been any older than five or six summers. "I don't like wearing it. It's too girly," he said scrunching up his nose. _

_"I know you don't understand now," she said patting him on the head, "but someday, that little necklace will come in handy." The boy continued to pout but mother knew best. Most of the time._

* * *

Rin fell to her knees with exhaustion, legs shaking and voice raspy. The beast had finally fallen to sleep but for how long? She shook her head as she clutched her heart. She was in pain, a lot of it. Quickly she brought her hands up to her mouth and coughed violently. A splatter of blood colored her fingers and her eyes went wide.

She knew it was only a matter of time but now…?

Rin glanced back at the sleeping monster before stumbling up to her feet, walking to her 'room'. A cave inside the cave where she had clean water and where she kept the food the beast brought her. There was even a tattered blanket and pillow for a bed. She'd used them as a baby. The beast was kind enough to at least give her that.

She panted and gasped for air, reaching to her neck and feeling the necklace. The only identity she had, the only comfort she possessed. Rin had met with the Pythoness that brought her there only once before she was removed, and she had told her that it was all her parents could give.

The girl often thought about her parents, imagining they were a lot like her. Maybe siblings too. She smiled at the thought as she fell back against her pillow, looking up at the crack in the cave ceiling. Night shown through, with a million stars and a moon spotlight.

It was always night here. A spell cast upon the cave prison to ensure the dragon was always happy. The light hurt it's eyes but she didn't mind it, the moon was fun to dance in.

"Moonlight," she whispered and felt a smile tug her lips as he breathed against the musical note shaped trinket. "What do you wish upon the moon?" She sang softly to herself, "Do you wish it for the one you love? What do you fear most? Do you have courage to commit the crime…?"

* * *

"In… corner of… pitch dark forest… I picked… red fruit…"

Len froze, eyes going wide as he whipped his head back around. That voice! It was the one he'd listened to forever but now it was different. Close and clear and very much real. He stood up, stumbling a little as he looked around for an answer. It was haunting and yet beautiful. "Gakupo?" He called into the night but no answer arose. "Kaito?" He tried weakly.

Nothing.

He felt his muscles grow tense, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he tried to see the voice or its owner.

"…must be…godsend…presents…" It sang quietly once more before drifting off into the air, vanishing as suddenly as it had come. Len stayed alert for a moment or two then shook his head and sat back down. There had never been a voice, he assured himself. He really was losing his mind.

He was alone.


	4. Chapter 3

They say that the link between siblings is strong.  
They say the link between twins is stronger.  
So strong that if one dies, the other soon follows.  
I pray they're wrong.

- Sonnet 68, Tale of Twins

* * *

_"So she does exist," Len said harshly as he looked down at the photograph. He was fourteen summers now, hardly a child and hardly a man. He glowered down at the picture of two babies. Each one with a tuff of golden hair. They were smiling in the picture, bright blue eyes staring forward. They couldn't have been older than a few days._

_"Yes," his mother said quietly. Shamefully. "You have a twin sister. Older by a few minutes… She was taken from us to become the diva. She'll stay there until…"_

_"Until she dies," Len said with a tired voice. He always had felt something. A feeling of not being whole. He'd heard the tales growing up. He knew the stories of the beast that flew down the mountains one day demanding a sacrifice. It never had been a big deal to him but now… "What if I tried to save her?" He asked._

_"It's impossible Len," she said shaking her head. "There have been so many others who have tried. None have come back alive." _

_"Then I'll be the first," he said setting the photo down on a side table. _

_"Don't be silly," she said with a weak laugh, "you're only a boy."_

_"Then in a few years," he said determined. "I'll bring her back. I promise." His mother said nothing, only turned her head away and glanced out the open window. The sea air blew in and wrapped around them. "Just tell me," he said taking a few steps forward. "What's her name? What is…my sister's name?"_

_"Her name is…_

* * *

The morning dew covered their blankets and drenched their hair. Birds sang a good morning song overhead as the three travelers woke. Their fire had long been put out and Kaito was getting some kind of scolding for falling asleep and not waking Gakupo sooner. He said they could have been in danger, though he refused to say by who or why.

Breakfast had ended up being a few slices of bread and a cheese wedge that Kaito had bought in town the night before. They all longed for a warm fire-cooked meal, but it'd have to wait. They couldn't waste anymore money, who knew how long they'd be traveling at this rate.

As the three ate in peace, Kaito rambled on about a dream he had the previous night. Something about being a jester to the queen or something. No one was actually paying attention. When no one responded to his story, he looked over at the blond haired boy, "you're awfully quiet." He said taking a bite of his cheese sandwich he'd made, "something on your mind?"

There was plenty to be worried about which meant plenty on his mind. Len was thinking about the voice he'd heard non-stop. There hadn't been anyone there and yet he heard it as clear as he heard Kaito's voice now. A faint noise that touched his ears only a moment before vanishing into the night. He hadn't told his companions yet, they already thought he was mad enough without adding this.

Instead of replying, he just reached up and clutched the pendant. Kaito frowned taking another bite, "jeez. Silent treatments make for a boring journey," he commented to no one in particular.

Gakupo shook his head, "let the boy be. He probably has a lot to think about right now." Maybe Gakupo knew. Len almost asked but stopped himself.

The boy stood up, finishing his own cheese sandwich, brushing himself off. "I'm going to go wash up," he said quietly before taking a rag.

"The river is to the East of here," Gakupo said, motioning in one direction. Len bowed his head in thanks and begun walking away. Anything to get away from the questions and babbles Kaito was leaking out of his mouth.

The boy found the river with ease. It was more of a stream really, probably met a real river further down. It was cool and refreshing with plenty of tadpoles and lily fish inhabiting the muddy bottom. He dipped the rag into the water then pressed it against his forehead, plopping down in the dirt. The water ran down his face, dripping down his neck and under his shirt, making him shiver.

Len closed his eyes and listened to the wind, trying to find the voice again.

Nothing.

When he reopened his eyes and set the rag aside, he slipped the pendant off from around his neck and looked at it. It was glimmering against the new sunrays, spinning in slow circles. He sighed and leaned back pulling it closer, breathing against the metal. "Where are you?" He whispered to it as the wind picked up.

* * *

Rin jumped, dropping her pendant and watching it clatter against the cold cave floor. She stared at it with wide eyes, hands trembling slightly. Did it just talk to her? No. Of course not. That was crazy. Wasn't it?

"H…hello?" She asked, quietly enough so that the beast wouldn't hear. She'd fallen asleep and woke up only a little while ago, not leaving her 'room' to check on her master. It was probably out hunting or maybe it was still sleeping. Either way, it wasn't commanding her to sing and she needed the break. "Who's there?" She asked again looking around some more.

There wasn't anyone there. No voice. No other human. It was just her. Rin groaned in frustration, bending over and picking up her pendant. "I think I've finally lost my mind," she whispered to it. There were some nights she'd stare in wake, pretending someone was listening to her songs. Searching for her. Coming to her rescue. It was all a lie.

"…talking…me…?" A voice called from the pendant. Choppy at first but still understandable.

Rin's eyes went wide again as she brought it even closer, almost touching her forehead. "Who are you?" She asked it again with awe.

* * *

Len knew he heard something that time, but it wasn't coming from a person or the wind. It was coming from the pendant. His pendant.

"Who are you?" A female voice called from inside. It was the same one as before, the one singing.

He felt a smile tug his lips as he held the pendant closer, the edge of it touching his forehead as he closed his eyes and concentrated hard on it. He imagined there was nothing else. Just him and the voice in an all white world. Who ever it was, they held some sort of comfort.

"My name is Len." He told it, a psychotic laugh slipped out for a moment, "please. Who are you?"

* * *

"My name is Len," the pendant said clearly. Rin felt butterflies in her stomach as she listened to the voice. It sounded so familiar and yet she'd never seen or heard anyone from the outside. Not since she was a little girl.

"Len," she repeated fondly, then giggled a bit. "Our name's kind of match. My name is Rin." There seemed to be an awkward pause between the two for a moment. He didn't say anything and her first fear was that he'd vanished. "Len?" She asked frowning a bit as she closed her eyes, "are you still there?"

* * *

_"What's her name? What is…my sister's name?"_

_"Her name is…Rin."_

* * *

Len felt his heart stop for what seemed like forever. Rin. That was the name of his sister. A familiar voice… It made sense now. "Are you still there?" She asked, sounded frightened. He shook his head trying to clear his mind then nodded dumbly, "yeah. Sorry."

* * *

"Yeah. Sorry." He sounded off now. Almost emotional. "Rin, how are you talking to me right now?"

"My pendant," Rin smiled reopening her eyes as she looked at the cool metal. "I've had it since I was a baby." She'd always been told it was her only possession, but she would have never imagined it would hold something like this in it. "I think there's a spell on it." She told the voice.

"Yeah," the boy said softly. "Is your pendant shaped like a music note?"

"Yes," Rin said somewhat surprised. "How did you know?"

"Mine is shaped like a music note too," he replied cheerfully. Almost overwhelmed. "Do you…" He trailed off as though nervous to ask something. She waited. "Do you know where you got yours? Or why?"

"I was told my mother gave it to me when I was still an infant," she said it so comfortably. He was a stranger but she felt as though she could trust her life with him. "As for why… I don't know. I was told it was the only proof I have that they did still love me when I was sent away."

* * *

Len made a fist with his free hand and his jaw tightened. "Sent away?" He asked as calmly as he could. "You were kidnapped. You weren't sent anywhere, you were taken." What other lies had they told her?

She was silent for a long time. He thought the line had been cut. Then she spoke up, "how do you know all this?" She was demanding an answer.

Len sucked in a deep breath trying to think of how to answer her. There were so many things he could say. He didn't want to scare her but at the same time he needed her to understand him. He said the most logical thing he could think of.

"Rin, I'm your other half."

* * *

Rin's heart skipped a beat at first. It took a while for it to process, then she opened her mouth to say something. Nothing came out. "I know it's probably hard for you to hear," the voice said again, "but it's true. We're twins. I bet I can prove it to. You have blond hair. The color of the sun. You probably have blue eyes. You just turned sixteen a few weeks back. You probably-"

"Stop," her voice quivered. He went quiet on the other end. She took in a shaky breath trying to take it all in. He did seem to know a lot about her. A matching pendant. A familiar voice without a face. It all seemed so surreal and yet…

Sing a command rippled through her mind. She gasped and dropped the pendant, listening to it clank against the cave floor as she squeezed her eyes shut. Rin covered her ears and glanced back out of her 'room'. Her master was awake.

"I'm sorry," she said reaching down and picking up the pendant, setting it on her ragged pillow. "If you…really are my other half you'll know about the monster."

"The dragon," the voice corrected softly. "I know you have to sing to it."

"I have to go now," she whispered to him. "Will you be here when I come back?"

* * *

She sounded desperate. Len nodded immediately not caring she couldn't see him. "Yes. Of course. I promise."

"Thank you. Len." The pendant he held seemed to fade in shine a moment, even in the sunrays. He felt himself regain composer as he took in the conversation.

"Did that really happen?" He asked himself as he looked up at the sky, then back to the necklace. "She is real," he smiled though it was sad. She'd sounded so scared. So unsure of everything. No doubt they had fed her lies her whole life. "I'm coming," he said putting the pendant back around his neck as he made his way back to the camp site.

So many things were racing through his mind. It made sense to him now what his mother had meant when she'd given him that silly pendant. He wasn't sure as to why it'd just started working or even how it did. All that mattered was that he knew the journey wasn't impossible after all. She could give him landmarks, signs, anything to follow. In no time, he'd be able to find her.

"Well well," a drawl cooed and Len snapped back to reality. He looked on ahead at the camp site where his companions were. Each one tied up and gagged, solders held them firmly in place like prisoners. Then there was a woman with short brown hair and red armor. Len had heard of her in stories so he knew exactly who she was. He tensed up as she spoke, debating between running or not. "The hero returns," she smirked pointing her sword.


	5. Chapter 4

The oracle will see.  
The warrior will fight.  
The people will listen.  
The hero will rebel.

- Sonnet 49, Song of the Brave

* * *

Len reached for his sword but caught only air, glowering over at the camp site. His sword was laying out among all his other possessions, Kaito and Gakupo's own weapons were off to the side. They were taken easily and no doubt the same would happen to him. "What's this about?" He asked as calmly as he could.

"We have orders," the red lady said simply, "and you will come without a fight." The look on her face made Len sick. They didn't do anything to deserve this. He glanced over at his friends to check their reactions. Kaito was idiotically staring, confused as ever, while Gakupo calmly nodded to Len. He knew something…

"Alright," Len said reluctantly, "we'll go quietly."

"Good," Meiko, the knight, said looking toward Gakupo, "Lady Megurine will be…ecstatic to see you again." Gakupo just glared back at her as the guards tugged them back toward the palace.

One guard reached out for Len but he pulled away, giving Meiko a stern look, "I can walk on my own," he said reaching up and gripping his pendant tight. She watched him curiously then scoffed and nodded, turning her back to him and walking away. The guards remained close to the boy, but at least they gave him his space. He had many questions to ask but he knew they wouldn't give him a straight answer, not right away at least. It was best to wait it out for now.

He took in a shallow breath, tracing the pendant with his thumb before tucking it into his shirt so it would be hidden. 'Sorry Rin. Looks like you'll have to wait,' he told no one as his eyes glanced at the sky briefly. A bird flew over head and cast a shadow on the path, making a dark patch he had to walk over.

* * *

Rin tiptoed out of her dwelling and onto the 'stage' of the cave. A puddle of water to dance on, where her feet wouldn't ache. She was still quivering from her talk with that boy. Her other half, as he'd said. She had to stay strong though, opening her eyes she narrowed them at the beast.

Sing it commanded as it watched her curiously, cocking its head like an eager child.

Rin nodded trying to think of something. Her voice was sore and her body was throbbing but…

She reached up and gripped her pendant tight and nodded again. If she knew he could hear her, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. If he heard her he could more than likely find her right? Theories played about in her head as she begun to spin in circles, dancing on the water with graceful motions.

Rin opened her mouth and she felt a song erupt. One she'd never heard before.

* * *

"Take the blue one to the prison," Meiko said when they reached the palace doors and entered the whole of the castle. It was huge and empty with hardly anything but doors, a stair case on the side, and windows that let the sun enter. The guards nodded and shoved Kaito away. He struggled only a moment before realizing it was hopeless to fight back. "Gakupo will return to his room, and see to it he stays there." She said with a smile, "Lady Megurine will join him shortly, I'm sure."

Len looked over at Gakupo wondering what his story was. He'd lived in this palace? What other secrets did he have. Gakupo gave Len a glance, one of which processed as a 'later' kind of look as they begun leading him away. "You'll come with me," Meiko said motioning Len to follow. Reluctantly he did, though the groups didn't get far.

"Is that them?" A voice said stepping into the room. Gakupo and Len looked over, each with there own look of surprise. A woman stood there in garbs only the oracle would wear, with long pale pink hair that touched down to her waist. She smiled, "Gakupo. Welcome home." She said as she snapped her fingers.

* * *

"At the end of the virtual paradise; deep, deep in the bottom of the earth. I was fated to sing the song of prayer. All alone…"

The song was hauntingly beautiful and somewhat upbeat under such circumstances. Rin closed her eyes and just felt herself moving, the pendant hitting into her now and again. "From the past that had nowhere to go. I weave voices that are going round and round. At the edge of the repeating history." She frowned as she let herself go, "I dedicate myself to the fate…"

* * *

The guards shoved Gakupo down to the ground. Roughly, he fell and his chin made a horrible cracking sound when it hit the tile. The guard that had pushed him leaned over so he pinned the man in place, holding his hands behind his back. The woman stepped forward, arms crossed as she smiled down at him, "didn't I tell you the next time I saw you, you would bow down to me?"

Gakupo growled as he glared up at her, "you've always been selfish," he hissed, "I'll stay this time but let the boy and his friend go. They have nothing to do with us."

Us? Len just watched the scene, growing oddly tensed. What were these two to each other? The woman just smirked, leaning down slightly so she could get a better look at Gakupo. "They have everything to do with us. This boy is the one searching for the diva, isn't he? If she's taken away from her master, it'll get angry and attack the kingdom. We wouldn't want that now would we?"

No one said anything, she stood back up turning her back to them. "Besides, it's an impossible quest." Len was getting sick of hearing those words. "Your sister is probably dead by now. If she isn't, she will be. She's not nearly as strong as the last diva was." Meiko flinched but remained holding her position. "I wonder how the beast will do it? Quick and painless isn't its style," she chuckled and started walking away, "no, it'll do it slow. Maybe burn her to a fine crisp. I only wish I was there to witness it."

* * *

The dragon tipped it head downward, laying on it's strong forelegs. It seemed amused if anything. "Not knowing anything, I've been continuously singing." Rin went on despite the pain in her throat, "for the whole of my life. A song for the sun, a song for rain," both of which she'd never actually witnessed, "a gentle requiem. At the end of the road to the paradise."

* * *

Len narrowed his eyes, quickly spinning around and kicking the closest guard down to the ground. The others moved in for him but he was young and quick. He grabbed the sword the first guard had been holding then ran at the woman.

She stopped and stood patiently as he came up from behind her and raised the sword against her throat. "My sister and I are both strong," he said with clenched teeth, "I'm going to save her and you won't stop me!"

The oracle just remained still then smirked, "is that so?"

Len's eyes widened as a flash of metal came between them. He stumbled backward and hit into the nearest wall, the sword he'd been holding was snapped in half on the ground. Meiko stepped forward, her sword drawn, blade still hot from contact with the other weapon. "You will not threaten our oracle in such a manor," she said holding the sword up so the boy could see himself in the reflection.

* * *

Rin felt a smile tug at her lips though her heart was heavy, "warm hands were offered… But couldn't reach me."

Rin stopped mid-step, raising her hands above her head, grasping for the spotlight as it suddenly occurred to her. Nothing would save her. No one would save her. Her only hope was in a strangers voice that claimed to be her other half. "Hurry," she called to it as tears rolled down her cheeks.

* * *

'Hurry,' an invisible voice called to Len. He made a fist and took in a deep breath. He wasn't about to die here…

"Meiko," Luka said sternly, "wouldn't it be fun to see how strong this boy is. He claims to be able to stop dragons, why not test him against yourself." The oracle smiled as she turned around to look at the two. "He obviously possesses some skill. Let's see what he can do."

Len and Meiko both looked at her like she was mad, but the red knight nodded and backed off. "Alright," she said looking to the other guards, "give him his sword." Len remained silent as one of the guards came forward, handing him the familiar hilt. He took it right away, holding it close; they must have captured their things when they were heading to the palace.

Len let the sheath fall off the blade, hitting the floor angrily. He glowered at Meiko, waiting. "He is eager," she said with her own little smile as the oracle walked away from the battle field, going off to the side.

"Take him to his room," she said when she walked passed Gakupo. "I'll see to him later."

The man made another noise of restraint as they picked him up off the floor and lead him out the doors and down the hall. The other guards moved away as Len and Meiko walked to the center and took their own fighting stances. Meiko's was that of an experienced warrior, while Len's stance was obviously an amateur.

"It will be a fight to the death," Luka said proudly, crossing her arms once more. "The last one standing is the winner and will get their own rewards. Understood?" Neither one answered her. "Then begin."


	6. Chapter 5

There I waited in the dark until the egg begun to hatch.  
Then my fate was sealed.  
A mask to shield my eyes from the world.  
A spell.  
A curse.  
A gift.  
Save me hero.

- Legend of the Pythoness

* * *

Blue hair dripped down her shoulders and back and onto the floor as she knelt down in the light. Everything felt heavy. Even breathing hurt her. She was always like this, a broken shell of what she should have been but wasn't. She could hardly even remember her real name now…

"The journey," she said to no one in particular as she looked up at the starlight. "It's begun," she mouthed, barely breathing the words. "It will be over soon…" She said softly again. Forcing herself up, she stood tall, leaning against her staff. She was still young herself, not that it mattered.

She was shaking but held herself strong as she reached out into the light, grabbing an invisible object.

"Warm hands were offered… But couldn't reach me…" Someone was singing. It was far away but still so close.

"You, little diva," she said quietly as a sharp pang split through her mind. She smirked and opened her mouth wide, saying the words loud and strong. "Sing forever."

* * *

She was faster than he'd anticipated.

Len only had time to blink before Meiko was against him, pushing her sword. Luckily, he was fast too, and was able to block her with his own blade. "Not bad," she said, trying to use her weight against him. He narrowed his eyes and tightened his jaw with frustration as he felt himself slide back.

"I was going to say the same to you," he replied trying to push her. No such luck. Instead, he shifted his footing so that she stumbled into him. From there he spun away, jumping back to get into another defensive stance. She had already recovered and was running at him again. He was having a hard time, even with all his training he'd done preparing for just this very thing.

She brought her sword above her head and lashed it down on the boy, but he held his sword firmly over himself, one hand gripping the hilt tight while the other pressed the flat of the tip so it blockaded her. "You should just surrender," she said with a grunt. "No one has ever saved the diva and a boy like you won't be the first."

Len narrowed his eyes again, keeping himself firm as he watched her carefully. She wasn't using her full strength against him this time, maybe she had other plans in mind. For what seemed like forever, the two held their positions strong. The oracle watched, pleased with the fight, then she turned to a few of the guards, "make sure they continue," she said before making her way out of the room and down one of the hallways.

The duelists hadn't even noticed when she left, busy trying to knock each other off balance. "You should give up," Meiko said when Len looked like he was struggling to hold her back. "If you surrender, I won't kill you. How's that?"

He grunted and tried to push her back again. "Why does it matter to you?" He asked through gritted teeth. "If it's impossible to rescue her then leave me alone and let me try!"

Len stepped to the side to throw her off balance like before, only this time she expected it. She leaned back to put her pressure on her left leg while the right stepped forward. Her sword raised and slashed to the side, but Len was also ready. He ducked and crouched down, slicing his sword against her leg armor. She cursed and jumped away as he scurried back also.

He was good.

"You're an idiot boy," Meiko said as she brought her sword forward again. "Take it from me, it is an impossible dream."

Len narrowed his eyes, bringing his sword out also. She sounded like she knew from experience… "It's not impossible to me!' He shouted running for her. The two shared a battle cry as they clashed once more. It was getting old. He let their blades hit only a second before spinning around her and trying to get her from behind.

Meiko spun jut as quickly, meeting him again. "We're evenly matched," she said with a smirk before jumping back. Len did the same, glancing at his sword. His blade was much smaller than her thick one, he was the only one taking damage. This had to end soon or he'd be out of luck.

He growled and ran at her, this time, she held herself firm. When he was steadily approaching, she raised the sword over her aiming to strike down the boy. "You're only doing this because you failed!" Len shouted.

Meiko's eyes went wide, her body stiffened. She attacked.

* * *

The oracle climbed up one of the stairways until she reached a guarded off room with large wooden doors. Luka smiled and nodded to the men and they stepped aside so she could slip in. "Gakupo," she said right away, shutting the door so only a crack remained.

He lifted his head up from his crouched down position. His face read anything but pleasant. "Luka," he hissed.

It only made her smile grow.

* * *

"Don't I get anything to eat at least?" Kaito whined against the cage, leaning against the bars looking out. A dungeon? He'd never been in a dungeon his whole life and now he was in for little to no reason. If he was going to prison, he wanted it to be something he could talk about later. Not this.

The two guards on duty said nothing. He didn't even flinch when he spoke. "You're ignoring me," Kaito pouted playfully, and still they didn't move. "You're like statues but uglier." One of their hands twitched at the comment but they still didn't turn to him.

Kaito frowned, grabbing the bars and pressing himself against them, "this is lame. Gakupo gets the royal treatment and I get this. What am I? A dog?" Now he was just talking to himself. He called it a curse. If no one else spoke, he'd do it. Which often lead to idiotic ramblings with no point or end. "Come on!" He whined louder, like an impatient child, "don't I get at least a mug of water?"

The guards glanced at one another a moment, considering. Then one of them turned to Kaito and nodded, "fine. One mug is all you get. The rest will be up to miss Megurine."

"Thank you!" Kaito said happily as he leaned back in his cage, watching the guards as they went over to a rusted old faucet in the corner. If any clean water came out at all it would be a miracle, and even more so if the mug they used wasn't one prisoners used for dirtier things. Even so, Kaito couldn't help but note the key ring hanging out of the left pocket.

* * *

"You called me by my first name," Luka said leaning against the wall as Gakupo and herself looked at one another. Neither one of them moved closer to the other, the tension in the air was thick. "You're the only one to do so."

"I have a right to," Gakupo said as he stood, brushing himself off. "You used mine."

"Everyone uses yours. You're not oracle anymore." Luka pointed out with a devilish smirk.

"Good," he muttered narrowing his eyes. "What are you doing? Why are you doing this?" He asked, almost pleaded, as he let his hands rest at his side.

"I'm doing this to ensure the safety and order of the kingdom," she replied automatically. "As oracle, I see to it things are kept peacefully by making sure scum like you are brought to justice." She narrowed her eyes back at him as he took a few cautious steps forward.

"Your right. That's what an oracle does," he said taking a shaky breath, "but that doesn't mean you should go about it like this. Luka, if this boy has half the heart I think he does, he'll be able to save his sister and bring peace to the kingdom in many ways."

"Please," she scoffed, "the beast cannot be taken so easily. That monster would burn him to a crisp before he had time to twitch his finger at his sword. The only way to keep peace in the kingdom is to give the beast what it wants and stay out of it's way. Your mother knew that."

Gakupo physically flinched at that. "Don't speak of my mother," he said coldly.

"Your mother was a fool," Luka said smiling. "An oracle dreaming to one day rid the world of the beast. She trained Meiko just for that purpose and look what happened? The diva still ended up dead and your mother went with her."

Gakupo screamed and lashed out at the pink haired lady, bring up a small dagger and aiming for her throat. She was prepared though, guards ran in and launched themselves at him, throwing the man back to the floor. "You twisted bitch!" Gakupo shouted angrily.

Luka smirked again, "I've never heard such language come from your lips Gakupo," she said happily. "I must have hit a weak spot." When he didn't respond with words she turned her back to him. "You would be wise to remember your place next time, or it will be the last." She warned before leaving.

When she was long gone, the guards pulled back and left the room, locking the door and keeping watch like before. Gakupo slamming a fist into the ground as he knelt down again. He had to get out of there.

* * *

Rin was exhausted. She'd been singing, humming and dancing for countless hours now. She kept going though, pleasing her master and singing so loud she knew her other half could hear. "At the distorted depth of the dying world," she said in a raspy voice. It hurt. "I was fated to sing the song of prayer, with the gentle voice..."

She was panting now and her feet missed a few steps here and there. The world was spinning, her eyes sight a blurry. White spots blotted her vision and she knew she was reaching her limit. The beast seemed amused by it all, urging her to continue. "…that sleeps in the forgotten past…" She sang louder.

Her body was aching and numb, handing gripping her pendant so tight she felt like her fingers would break off. "…as I change my despair to a smile…" She whispered, wiping her mouth where she felt something leaking out. Red. She was bleeding. That was why her throat hurt so much.

"…I sink to the bottom of tears!" She cried out before she tripped over herself and fell into the water, eyes closed, finally drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Len was on the ground, sword tossed aside too far for him to grasp. Meiko had his sword to his throat a bitter look plastered on her face, burning with anger. "You don't know anything!" She shouted at the boy. He said nothing still in shock by how fast she moved. "Do you know anything about the diva?"

"I know plenty-" he started when she screamed at him and silenced him once more.

"You know nothing!" The red lady repeated, raising the sword above her head and aiming it at the boy. His eyes went wide, a flash of regret washing over him. If he died here, he'd never save her…

"I can save her," Len muttered softly. "I have to. I can't die here," he narrowed his eyes looking up at the knight, "you can help me." Meiko's attack was frozen in midair as she looked down at the boy. He had such fire in his eyes…

"Enough," Luka said, approaching the battle field, holding up her hand in command. "Meiko. You've lost yourself. Another will take your place."

"What?" Meiko hissed, glowering over at the pink haired woman as she stood there, arms crossed and smile glued as usual. "No! I can finish this! I can finish him."

"Your anger is getting the best of you," Luka said as another figure jumped out of almost nowhere. Black and blue hair, a smirk as evil as the oracles on her face. "You will be replaced."

"Let me finish him," Meiko pleaded again but it was no use as the girl stood upright, scythe slung back behind her and back into a ready stance. Meiko would be quicker with her sword but that didn't mean the other girl couldn't hold her own long enough to wear the already-tired knight.

"No," Luka said sternly. "You're going to stand down and let Ruko do the job you couldn't. Yet again Meiko, you've proven yourself to be a useless and weak coward." Meiko flinched but held her ground.

"Maybe I was too weak to save Teto," she muttered. Len glanced at the older woman as she reached down for him. "This boy, however, isn't."

"Ruko!" Luka shouted as the black and blue haired girl launched herself toward the two. Len gabbed Meiko's hand and pulled himself up.

"Get your sword," was all Meiko said. Len nodded desperately and ran for his sword. He ducked down to gain more speed and slide past it, catching it only by an inch. Then he kicked out to turn himself back toward the fight and stepped so he stood back upright. He glared at the Oracle and aimed his sword at her neck. She narrowed her eyes as Meiko's sword clashed against the Scythe.

* * *

Gakupo rubbed at his head as he crouched down in the corner of the room. Being there only reminded him of his mother. The one that had been taken away from him so long ago. He growled with frustration and slammed a hand against the wall. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath and reached up to hide his eyes.

There was a click and the sound the door knob turning but he didn't bother to look up. It would be Luka Megurine anyway. She was the only one that was allowed to taunt him. The guards stayed out except to bring food and he hadn't even gotten that kindness for a while.

"A high scholar and you look as pathetic as an unlearned peasant."

Gakupo's gaze shot back up and at the door where a familiar blue haired man stood. The door was open enough so Gakupo could see the guards behind the man, knocked unconscious from the looks of it. He was almost too shocked to move as Kaito waved the keys in front of his face. Then he scoffed, shook his head and stood up. "I shouldn't be surprised should I?"

"Not really," Kaito said with a smile that soon vanished. "Where's the kid?"

"He's not dead," Gakupo was quick to reply as they headed out of the room at a quick pace. Not running. No, they didn't want that much attention on them. "I know Luka well enough. She wouldn't order him dead. Not when he's as strong as he is. She keeps the things she finds useful." Kaito watched the older man carefully but said nothing as they neared the main hall.

"I bet I know where he is," Kaito said as noises erupted into the air. Loud grunts of pain and the sound of metal hitting one another. The two were now running to the scene, stopping only a moment to gather what was going on. Meiko was fighting back Ruko but she was growing tired from the looks of it. Len was in the center of five or six armed guards but didn't seem to need any help.

Luka was on the side to watch it all.

"Let's get in there," Kaito shouted before jumping into the middle of things. "Hey kid! Save some for us!" He called to Len, who didn't bother to look back. Kaito met one of the guards head on and Gakupo was soon to follow. "Don't have a weapon old man?" Kaito asked between knocking down a guard and moving to another one.

"We need to run," Gakupo said eying the oracle. "She has more guards and warriors than we have stamina. Besides, our work here is done."

"He's right," Len said angrily. "We're wasting time."

"This way then," Meiko said as she landed a good hit to Ruko's shoulder, giving them enough time to group up together. "I'll show you the way out. We can follow a road to the next town."

Both Kaito and Gakupo looked skeptical at the woman but Len nodded, "right. Lead the way." There were no other words as the four of them cut their way through the crowds and headed for the castle entrance. Luka made no attempt to follow as they got out. A few guards went after them but were soon brought back as the group vanished.

"Mistress?" Ruko asked bowing to the oracle in slight confusion.

"It doesn't matter," Luka smiled. "The Pythoness won't let them live. I was simply giving them other options." Ruko just stared a second, then nodded and bowed before walking off. Luka glanced out the nearby window, watching the group shuffle toward the woods. "It's a shame really. They would have made fine warriors."


	7. Chapter 6

They say the warrior was brave.  
That he fought every enemy with ease.  
Then he met the Pythoness.  
And was struck down.

- Sonnet 119, Song of the Brave

* * *

"Rin," Len whispered into the pendant. It shimmered and glowed faintly but there was no sound. No voice. No music. "Rin, where are you?" He asked it and waited. Since they'd left the castle and went for the towns he hadn't once heard his sisters voice. It worried him. She was always singing or whispering into the wind and now she was silent. Suddenly the boy felt angry, he clutched the necklace tightly and pulled it to close his lips brushed the edges of the bass clef. "If you hurt her…" He threatened but it fell short as a bushes moved.

Len pulled the necklace back and tucked it in his pocket before turning around. A girl haired girl was there in the brightest and most obnoxious clothes the boy had ever seen. He wondered if his sister was anything like this. "Len," she said crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Are you done? Gakupo's looking for you."

"Yes," Len said with a weak smile. "I'm coming. Sorry," he said as he followed the girl out of the brush and back toward the town. He needed to talk to his sister and he had to do it in private. "Gumi, how far away is the Pythoness?" He asked reluctantly after a while.

"Not sure," the girl shrugged. "All the stories say she's up in the mountains far away from the rest of the world. That way she's close to her dragon."

Len narrowed his eyes. "What about the dragon? Do you know anything about it?"

Gumi paused as though thinking then shrugged again, "not much. It's suppose to be giant. Huge and merciless. They say it takes girls to be its diva because it has a hard time sleeping. I think it's just a bully." She waved at a few people as they passed by and headed for the shop. "After singing for so long every hour of every day the diva gets tired and will pass out from the exhaustion. That's when the beast kills them."

Len shook his head, "not my sister. She's stronger than that." He was lying to himself though. He knew those stories. He knew if the diva stopped singing she'd die. He wasn't about to give up hope though.

"I'm sure she is," Gumi smiled before skipping a few steps to greet the others. "Found him!"

"Good," Gakupo said sternly. For a while he'd been melancholic but now it seemed he was back to his old self. "We've been waiting for you."

"Why?" Len asked taking a moment to slip the pendant back around his neck.

"We think we know which way to go to find the Pythoness." Kaito said with a beaming smile. Len felt his breath hold a second before nodding. Urging one of them to continue. "It's East, like you thought, but it's higher in the mountains. From what old man Gakupo's been saying-"

"Old man?" Gakupo grunted.

"-we're sure she's near here," Kaito finished.

"I've been doing research on the Pythoness for a while now," Gakupo explained clearing his throat. "The Pythoness can communicate to the beast and is therefore a kind of master. Don't be fooled though, the Pythoness has little control over what it does and how it does things. Like the diva, every hundred years or so, a new Pythoness is sought out. Of course this is a heavy burden. The woman they chose must be strong in body and mind to control such a thing."

"What if she doesn't want to be Pythoness?" Gumi asked leaning against the nearest wall.

"It doesn't matter," Len said "she'll still be taken away from her friends and family. Just like the diva."

"Yes," Gakupo said looking over at the boy. "Unlike the diva, however, the Pythoness is made of magical abilities. She could escape at anytime or let the beast lose if she chose. To keep her in line," he pulled a scroll off one of the honeycomb shelves and unrolled it along a wooden table. Everyone gathered. "They created this," he said pointing to a charcoal sketch of some kind of oblong shape.

"What is it?" Kaito frowned.

"It's a mask," Len summed up. "Probably to contain her powers enough… Maybe even control her. Make her stay obedient to her task."

"Exactly," Gakupo nodded. "They put this mask over the woman's face and she is then controlled with the same magic that the first Pythoness bestowed. Does this makes sense to everyone?" Kaito and Meiko nodded. Len just stared at the drawing.

"Then we need to get going," Kaito said stepping back and going for his things. Len nodded and went to do the same but stumbled a bit. He thought no one would notice.

"No," Meiko frowned as she watched the boy. "We'll stay here for the night. Let's leave in the morning fully rested."

"We don't have time," Gakupo hissed bitterly as he rolled the scroll back up. "The diva could already be-"

"But she's not," Meiko said narrowing her eyes. "If that girl is as strong as her brother, she'll be fine for another night." The woman went over and pat the boy on the shoulder. "You need your rest don't you? We've been traveling across the forests and desert for the last couple nights and I know you don't sleep very well." Len didn't say anything. "Come on then," she gave him a weak smile "a growing boy needs his rest."

Everyone just watched as the red knight pulled the boy over to one side of the shop and made him sit. He looked angry and determined as usual but after a couple quick words from the woman, he fell asleep. "There now," she said going over and grabbing one of the burlap blankets they'd borrowed, draping it over the boy. "Everyone let him sleep."

"You're good with him," Kaito commented as he watched. "Do you have kids of your own?" He doubted it but thought he'd ask anyway.

"Not exactly," Meiko muttered as she moved from the boy and back over by the others. Gakupo was leaning against the wall also, almost impatient but he didn't say anything. "I had a friend in the palace," she glanced at the purple haired man. "Teto."

"The last diva," Gakupo nodded.

"Right," Meiko said frowning. "She was like a younger sister to me. I cared for her. Took care of her like this. I had my orders at first but I grew to enjoy her company. I didn't know she would become the dragon diva." Her voice trailed off long enough for the others to understand.

"Makes sense now," Gakupo said shaking his head. "Why you came along. Why the boy allowed you to follow even though you did try to kill him."

"I tried to save her," Meiko said narrowing her eyes at the ground. "I trained myself harder. I became the best knight in the kingdom. I had armies and other knights under me. I was powerful and I was still very young. Then one day they told me she was dead. I took my anger out on my training and became merciless toward others." She turned back to Len. "He has a fire in his eyes like I've never seen. If anyone can save her… It'll be him."

"Doesn't matter if he saves her or not," Kaito shook his head. "The dragon won't let her go easily and he can't take down something like that."

"Not alone," Gakupo shook his head. "That's why we're here though."

"If you take the diva," Gumi said with slight confusion. "Won't the dragon get mad and destroy the town like before?"

"Not if we kill it first," Kaito shrugged. "It's big and strong but not immortal. I think we can do it."

"It's a long shot," Gakupo sighed "many scholars have tried to find its weakness. My mother was one of them. She thought she found the Achilles heel to the beast. She was trying to save Teto also," he said nodding over to Meiko.

"I know," Meiko muttered. "I remember her. Lady Kamui was very beautiful and strong in mind. I thought she would have succeeded."

There was a long silence and then Gumi asked "what happened to her?"

There was another silence that drifted across the room then Gakupo pushed against the wall and walked off. Kaito was curious too and looked at Meiko for an answer. "Lady Kamui killed herself one night," Meiko said softly. "She jumped off the highest tower. Gakupo saw it happen."

* * *

Rin choked as she sat up and looked around. She couldn't remember where she was at first. Then it all came back to her. She'd been singing and then… Had she fainted? Was she dead? She looked around the cave. Nothing had changed. She was laying down in the puddle she'd fallen in. There was blood spots speckled in the water.

No. This wasn't heaven.

She was still trapped in her own personal hell. She frowned and stood on shaky limbs to get a cautious look around. Where was the beast? "Hello?" She called into the darkness. "Where are you? I know you're here!" She shouted at it. She'd never felt so brave. "Why did you let me live?"

There was no response. Then all at once a gust of wind kicked up from somewhere deep in the cave. Sending the girl's skirts back and making her cover her face. Sing! The voice rippled through her mind. Rin flinched as the wind stopped.

It sounded angry but she was still alive. Had it actually shown remorse for her? "How long was I asleep?" She asked it. The beast had no sense of time. Why was she bothering? "Tell me!"

Sing! The voice screeched. Rin screamed and fell to her knees clutching her head. It hurt. Everything hurt. Her body, her voice, her head. Sing. Or die. It told her. She narrowed her eyes at the darkness. She wanted it to kill her, she really did. She'd never wanted to die so much in her life-

"Hurry and please wake me up right now, because I'm having a nightmare again!" She begun to sing, her voice hoarse and dry. It was hurting her more and in time she knew the blood would come up again. She wanted nothing more than to die but not here. Not now.

"First impressions and early things like that are really only trivial, right?" She called to the darkness. The best seemed pleased. It didn't yell at her anymore. She didn't know if it was listening and she didn't care either. She wasn't singing for it. She was singing for the voice she'd heard in her pendant. She gripped the necklace sight as she danced, "if you asked me where I want to go, then I wouldn't be able to answer you."

Her other half was listening. She knew he was. "The night was too impressive for me, so it dazzled me and now I've lost my way…"

* * *

Len jerked his body forward, having to catch himself as he listened. The sky was dark outside the window, only the dim reflection of the moon lit the small shop. Everyone else seemed to be asleep; Meiko was laying under a window, Kaito by the door and Gakupo off in his own corner. He looked around a second before clawing desperately for his pendant. He jerked it out and held it out in front of him, watching it glow faintly.

"I was standing there out in the rain, my hair seemed frozen and strange in the cold…" The voice sang. Len felt a smile tug at his lips as he pulled it closer. She was singing for him. It was clear as a bell and sounded heavenly.

"We're close," he said to her knowing she probably couldn't hear him anyway. If she was singing, it was to the beast.

"My loneliness went down the drain while I was shivering and waiting here for you…" He'd never heard the song before and yet it felt familiar. Maybe it was because it was her voice. It still felt weird to hear it. Eerie and unreal but still a comfort for the boy.

"Rin. Are you well?" He asked but got no reply. Eventually the voice died down into nothing and the pendant stopped glowing. The dragon must have been keeping her on a short leash. He felt himself sigh and lean back again. At least she was still alive.

The boy didn't even remember falling back to sleep until the morning light was on his face and the others were packing up. Gumi was talking to Gakupo about where to go next and such but Len couldn't make out any real words. Kaito was away and Meiko was towering over him. "I was just about to wake you up," she said with a weak smile. "You slept like a baby."

"Did I?" Len asked with a frown as he went for the necklace. It wasn't glowing and it wasn't warm. "Was it a dream?" He asked no one as he forced himself to stance up. He prayed it wasn't. There were sweet rolls on the table and the boy took one gingerly, taking only nibbles.

"We're leaving soon," Kaito nudged the boy as he walked into the shop. He must have been outside. Len looked over at the blue haired male saying nothing. "How are you handling?"

"Fine," Len said right away taking another bite of the breakfast he'd chosen. "What about you?" Kaito was a little surprised. Usually the boy didn't ask or care about the traveling companions he had with him.

The man smiled, "better I suppose. We're on course now. We'll rescue your sister in no time." The boy said nothing. "What do you plan to do once you've rescued her?" He asked. They'd never talked about that. Ever.

Len shook his head and set the roll aside before going to grab his cloak. Apparently they weren't talking about it now either. "Thank you miss Gumi for the use of your shop," Gakupo was saying with a courteous bow to the girl.

She smiled and nodded, "no problem. Come back after you've killed that ol' beastie. I want to hear the story."

"I'm sure you will," Gakupo said quietly. "I'm sure everyone will."

"They'll write about you," Gumi said as Len passed her. "The boy who did the impossible." He paused a moment to look back at her. "You're a real hero Len. You have friends who support you and you're kind and gentle even behind the mask you wear. They'll talk about you for generations to come."

The boy just stared back at her for a long time then nodded. He had no doubt in his mind they'd talk about him. They already were. It didn't matter though. Nothing like that mattered to the boy. It was all for his sister. "Thank you," he said though before turning and walking out of the shop without another word.

He knew he'd never see her again.

* * *

"They're almost to the mountains," Ruko said to the oracle as she overlooked her army.

"Yes I'm aware of that," Luka said narrowing her eyes. "Something's happened," she said bitterly. "Last night when the moon was just barely full I felt it. The boy's discovered something. Something disconcerting."

"What do you mean mistress?" Ruko asked frowning. Luka was an oracle and as such she had visions. Small ones but they were still visions none the less. If she was worried about something now… "Have you seen something different than what you saw before?"

"The future is always changing," Luka said frowning as she turned to the girl. "I saw her dying. The diva stopped her song. Yet the beast has given her a second chance at life. For some reason."

Ruko's eyes widened, "but mistress, the beast never lets a diva live if she's-"

"Yes, I know," Luka growled turning back to her army. "Go forth to the east! Seek out the boy and his companions and have them struck down! I will not let them get away with this." The army replied in an uproar before marching out for the hills. "If she is saved, the beast will not show mercy on the world."


	8. Chapter 7

Dance as though it is your first.  
Sing as though it will be your last.  
Chances are it will be.

- 'Diva Song' by Anonymous.

* * *

Len reached in his pocket and drew out the pendant for the fourth time that night. It was warm but it wasn't glowing or singing to him. He was eager to hear the voice again but at least he knew she was alive. She had to be. He shook his head and pressed the necklace close to his lips.

"At the end of the desperate paradise, I seek the lost voice. I am fated to wander from street to street, further and further away." He whispered against it in a soft lullaby. It'd been a while since he last sang anything, finding little to no inspiration. This time the song just poured out of him. "In the shadow of the closed history. I long for the stolen days." They'd been traveling for a while now and though he could hear Kaito complaining in the background, that didn't stop or even slow their pace.

"The voice that echoes in the depth of my heart is agonized by suffering…" They were nearing a town from the looks of it. Meiko called on up ahead of them all, saying something about it being a peace driven town. Gakupo just shook his head and muttered something in reply. Len had gone deaf to all the voices around him but his own. "My wish doesn't reach to the everlasting paradise." He said softly as the town came into view.

Kaito smiled and moved faster on ahead mentioning something about finding food. As they neared the town, an odd feeling swept over the boy. He frowned as he heard a jingle of laughter. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw shapes but when he turned there was no one there. "It is distorted with voices," Len continued before letting go of the pendant and letting it fall back down by his chest. He let a hand rest over his sword as he looked on ahead, "and keep vanishing away."

* * *

"He has a pretty voice," Rin said as she smiled at the pendant. Her voice was sore again and talking was difficult let alone singing. She looked out of her little dwelling and could hear nothing but the sound of droplets hitting the cave floor. The beast had gone out to hunt but she wasn't sure how long it'd be gone. Sometimes it was gone a few hours, sometimes it was gone a few days. There had even been a time when she was very young that the beast didn't return for two weeks. She'd cried and cried and thought she would die there all along but it eventually returned.

Not that a dragon was much company anyway.

She hesitated before slowly shifting out of her 'bed' and tiptoed out into the whole of her prison. Even when the beast was gone, she felt the need to be quiet as a mouse. She always felt as though someone else was watching her. She breathed out a little gasp of air and watched a puff appear in front of her face. It was getting colder in the cave. If she was lucky the beast might bring back something to burn. Maybe not.

Rin looked up to the ceiling of the cave where the only light was. That same strange moonlight that shown all hours of the day and night. It only got a slight darker when she assumed it was actually night time. She frowned and carefully padded along the shallow spring over to the other side of the cave. Her fingers delicately danced over the rocks as she trailed along the stony catacomb walls. Her own demise would be soon no doubt.

"He's coming," she said aloud to no one, stopping near the base of the creatures own bed. A large groove in the ground that dipped low so it cradled the monster just enough. It was a small indent and compared to how large the beast was it looked more like a platform when it rested on it. Rin shivered at the thought of ever being this close to the beast. Its red eyes would burn into her before breaking every bone in her body.

Rin felt herself gasp again and shiver at the thought as she fell to her knees and held herself tightly. "I don't want to die," she said suddenly. She'd never said those words before and meant it but it felt real now. Death would come for her and she'd never meet him. The girl refused to cry but did close her eyes to silence any threatening tears.

The sound came again. The drip- drip- dripping noise from somewhere up top. There was always water somewhere in the cave. She had plenty to drink and the dragon made sure she had plenty to eat when she needed. Plenty to wear. Plenty to keep herself warm. Rin's eyes snapped open suddenly as she thought of it. Ever since she was a child, she'd been given few things by the beast, but given things none the less.

How had it known anything?

A beast was just a beast. It might be able to speak to her in thoughts but did that mean it knew what clothes were? What in the world a brush was when she'd needed to comb her hair? Rin frowned feeling that sense of another presence again. She stood up and glanced around the cave. Maybe someone else was watching and closer than she thought.

"Where are you?" She girl whispered into the darkness. She must have traced the cave over a million times in her life. There was no entrance, no exit, nothing but the open ceiling big enough for the dragon and surely no one else came and left through it. Then she had another odd feeling as she looked over the beasts' chamber.

Perhaps there was a reason it always stayed in the same spot after all…

* * *

The town was in ruins.

There were shops lining the streets but all the goods were destroyed. People were hiding in their houses or out on the sidewalks sobbing and trying to repair anything they could find. There were carts going around to gather any dead that were lying around. The group was speechless as they looked it over. "Peaceful huh?" Gakupo whispered before making his way through. Meiko frowned and followed after him, then Kaito and finally Len.

"We shouldn't stay long," Kaito said in a somber tone; one of which Len didn't even know he had. "Something tells me we're not welcomed here." A few dirty looks from villagers confirmed their suspicions. "I wonder what happened here…"

"Guards came," an elder woman said off on the side, holding onto a small child in attempt to comfort it. Len could tell it wasn't hers. "They just marched on in and started destroying stuff. Said they were looking for a boy," the woman looking at Len and he immediately felt a strong guilt in his stomach. "One with hair the color of the sun."

"Luka," Gakupo muttered looking at Meiko a second then back to the woman. "I'm sorry this happened… But do you know which way these men went?"

"They were heading for the woods I think," she said as the child coughed and choked on a sob. "They didn't even give us a chance to defend ourselves. They just started to destroy everything," she said shaking her head over and over again. "They were looking for the boy with yellow hair."

"Him," another villager said when they finally overheard the conversation. It was a middle-aged man with jagged features and a pitch fork tightly grasped in one hand, while the other pointed toward Len. "He's the boy they were looking for!"

Len wanted to deny it but knew there was no way he could. He was the reason these people were so miserable. "We need to leave," Meiko said narrowing her eyes as a small mob begun to form. Each one just as angry and strong as the man. "Now."

Gakupo nodded and motioned Kaito to move. Len stayed however, staring at the crowd that had gathered. He knew this was just one of the many villages that would be destroyed because of him. Luka's army and the soon to be angered dragon… Things would only get worse before they got better. For a moment, he didn't know if he was doing the right thing or not.

He slowly turned and begun following his comrades out away from the crowd but they didn't get far before someone in the mob struck out. A makeshift lantern flew over head just barely missing the boy. Len ducked then whipped his head back around to see the attacker, but in this crowd everyone looked the same. "Watch it," Meiko said stepping between Len and the people. "Len, go on." She said giving warning looks.

"They're just innocent people," Len said looking up at her, "we can't attack back."

"I know that," Meiko hissed glancing back at him "let's just hurry up and get the hell out of-" The woman let out a loud grunt of pain as something jabbed at her side. She doubled over holding it as Len lashed forward. One of the men had used a shovel to wind her. The boy kicked the shovel out of the man's hand and instantly three more took its place.

Len didn't hesitate to draw his sword. "Villagers!" Gakupo shouted raising his hands and stepping forward as Kaito rushed to Meiko. "We mean no harm! What's happened to your home is a tragedy but attacking us won't do any good now!" Len narrowed his eyes but saw that they were listening. "We live in fear of the beast upon the mountain don't you? We are the saviors to you all. We're going to slay the monster or die trying now let us leave in peace, there does not need to be any more bloodshed here."

The crowd all stayed tense but they weren't going to attack. "Go," Gakupo said without looking to the others. With a quick nod and hesitate stare Len stepped back to help Kaito with the fallen woman. When no one went after them again, they vanished into the distance just as easily as they'd come.

* * *

Rin followed the grove down and around. She felt the smooth stone under her feet where the dragon's scales had polished the bedrock. It was huge and smelled of ash and fire. She looked around trying to find any sign of clues or a pothole or anything but so far she was coming up empty. It was large though… She'd never gotten close enough to realize how big the monster was until now. It overflowed in this chasm and for her to be wandering around inside it…

It was like being inside the beast itself.

The girl pushed the thoughts away as she looked around some more. There was no sign of light anywhere and for a minute she feared she'd been too hopeful for nothing. When she reached the other side of the hole she frowned and glanced back. She's circled the entire grove of the half circle in the cave wall and there was nothing. She cursed herself and the beast before looking up at the ceiling. It too was very high to hold the beast and the overwhelming sense of being killed by it returned.

"Len?" Rin called into the darkness. From here the voice echoed. "I'm lost. I can't find a way out," she said hugging herself again. With some much ash and soot you think a little warmth would be possible but it was almost chilled down in the hole. "Even if you found me, we'd only both be stuck here…" She shook her head before reaching up and grasping her pendant, "and I don't want that."

She lifted the necklace up and over her head and pressed the cool metal to her lips. "Len, I don't want you to come to me. Stay behind. Please," but the necklace felt no warmth at all. She hadn't felt any warmth for a while now and wondered just how the damned thing worked. She let go of it and it fell to the base of the stone as she rubbed her arms quickly trying to gain friction on them. "Why is it so cold?" She asked aloud looking around.

Outside of the hold it was always warm, even on the coldest nights it didn't seem this cold. Perhaps she was only imagining it. Rin frowned and looked back along the cave wall. Carefully she held out one of her hands and felt it. Like the rest of the chasm, it was smooth like obsidian. "Where is it coming from?" She asked as she begun to walk again along the side of the grove.

She hadn't noticed it before but a strange chill hit her the closer she got to the center. "Where is it coming from?" She asked and a moment later got her answer. Her hand dipped back into darkness for a moment. Rin gasped and pulled her hand back looking at the cave wall. It was the same blackness the rest of the wall was but…

She frowned again and reached out to press her hand to it once more. Her hand vanished again. "What is this?" She asked moved her hand around inside. She couldn't feel a back but the sides seemed large enough to hold a person. It was cool inside and had a light feeling like water. She shook her head but allowed herself to say it aloud, "a black river in the wall?"

The girl leaned in a little closer, trying to feel the back of the hidden passageway but she still couldn't find anything. A hallway maybe? An exit… The dragon was hiding an exit. The only problem was that she didn't know where it lead nor if it really was an escape or just a way into another cave dwelling.

Rin leaned in again wanted to see inside. If she could see past the black… Maybe she could find where it lead. She sucked in a deep breath and begun to press her face to it when a loud roaring noise was heard overhead.

The beast had returned.

* * *

Len was sullen all night. They'd stopped by a river outside of the village and tended to Meiko's wound; the shovel had done more damage than they would have hoped. Gakupo said it was a broken rib and that she should stay off it but the woman was stubborn. A quick nap, some ice and a wrap along her side and they were off again.

The boy had separated himself from the rest of the group in hopes of speaking to his sister but all he got was the chill of silence. These nights when the crickets chirped and the fire crackled made him miss his home. He wondered about his mother and what she was doing. He wondered if his quest really was impossible. Then he thought of his sister. She'd never seen anything besides the inside of that awful cave. If he didn't save her…

"I want to make sure," Len whispered quietly in song, "the sound of your warmth with my hands," he said looking up at the night sky. The trees covered up everything there would be to see. He prayed the stars were out. "Not hesitating to get hurt," he said as the crickets stopped.

* * *

Rin had scurried out of the dragon's layer just in time, felling to her knees at the base of the grove. The beast dropped down and after a quick snort in her direction, curled up and hid away the secret passage again. Rin narrowed her eyes at it, angry with herself for not vanishing behind the stone. She looked down and scooped her pendant back up. She couldn't leave it behind though…

She'd get another chance.

Sing! The dragon screeched in her mind. She reached up and covered her ears. It was like someone hammering nails into her mind. She hated it. The beast seemed angry today and Rin wasn't quite in the mood to protest today. If she stayed on its good side, maybe it would leave again.

"At the end of the artificial paradise," Rin said softly gripping the pendant tight, "deep, deep in the bottom of the earth…"

As she sang on, she couldn't help but feel a strange warmth come over her. The dragon could have been radiating heat or maybe it was the pendant. She only opened her mouth and continued to sing, even as she felt her throat give way. She could feel the blood welt up; she tried to swallow it but only ended up coughing it out. She started crying but couldn't give up. Not yet…

"I am fated to sing prayers all alone…"

* * *

By the time Len reached camp they were already in battle. The group of warriors had been stealthy but the band of misfits were ready. Meiko drew her sword and slashed at one of the men, colliding her sword against his. She flinched and leaned against her hurt side but didn't stop. Gakupo used anything he could find to use as a weapon. Kaito used his trusty dagger to keep the enemies at bay but wasn't watching his back like usual.

Len jumped out of the woods and threw his sword out to get the enemy back. "Finally," Kaito smiled as he turned around and saw Len wipe the blood off his sword. "Just in time kid," he said going back to fighting. Len just rolled his eyes and went back to the fight at hand.

Almost instantly he was combated with another army man. Their swords clashed against one another but the man was much stronger. He easily knocked the blond boy away. Len shifted to get away from the man but the sword still managed to graze his cheek. Len's face stunk but it only fueled the fire. He let out a loud cry as he swung the sword again. There was another loud clash of metal on metal and this time Len held his own.

"Give it up boy!" The man shouted. They both pushed against one another, Len felt his body straining. He grunted and pushed forward some more and the man gave way. He fumbled back slightly and gave Len enough room to go in for a final blow. The man raised his sword above his head and was about to strike the boy down, but Len was smaller and lighter on his feet. He lunged forward and stabbed his sword between the man's side where the armor was weak.

The man let out a painful shriek before falling to the ground. Len panted and pulled his sword back looking back to the others. Everyone was holding their own; there were only a few men left. Luka's army must have split up to find them. That or they were getting lazy back in the kingdom. It'd be finish soon either way.

Len panting lightly as he lifted a hand up and wiped the still stinging wound. When he pulled his hand back and saw the red stain of blood. "Warm hands were offered but couldn't reach me…" A voice sang amongst the noise of the battle. He felt weak.

He thought about the village they'd passed through earlier. How the people had been murdered because of him. How the village was torn apart because of his impossible quest. They'd screamed at him, shouted at him, and cursed his name. Tears burned in his eyes as he thought about his sister. Somehow he knew time was running out.

The boy let his bloody hand clench into a fist as he turned back to the fight. It had died down now, only a few people left alive and those that could move ran away. "They're getting sloppy," Meiko said holding her side as he looked over at Len. Gakupo nodded as Kaito wiped off his dagger. "We need to get moving. They'll find reinforcements."

"Yes," Len said in a rushed voice as he grasped his pendant and without gathering their things he headed for the mountains.


	9. Chapter 8

At the beginning of time,  
The beast slept in the volcano.  
As time continued,  
The beast made it a prison.  
Time after time,  
The beast brought others.  
As time slowed,  
The beast laughed at their diva.  
As time froze,  
The beast grew tired of the girl.  
When time stopped,  
The diva was dead.

* * *

Blue eyes fluttered open. Rin lifted her head and looked around. She must have fallen asleep. Her memory was blurry and everything felt distorted. She had been singing and it got to be too much for her. Did she faint again? No, she must have gone to bed because that's where she was now. She coughed and wiped some dried blood off her face.

She slowly left her shelter and looked out. Her hopes sank when she saw the dragon was there. It wasn't asleep but it wasn't demanding anything of her. It just stared with big red eyes. "Do you want me to sing?" She said aloud though it wasn't the dragon she was talking to. She gripped the pendant tightly and looked at the creature.

It made a little growl shifting it's weight as it waited for her to begin. Rin took in a deep breath and closed her eyes before opening her mouth, "I will fight." She said before she lifted her voice.

* * *

"There's the mountain," Gakupo said looking up ahead. The group stopped and looked at the dragon's domain. The Pythoness would be here, waiting inside for them. The dragon would be deep inside the volcano and the diva would be trapped close by. "What's waiting inside will be the challenge."

"Will the Pythoness let us go through?" Kaito asked frowning.

Gakupo chuckled darkly, "hardly. She'll be there to stop us. We'll have to get passed her, fight the dragon and… Hopefully get out with our lives."

"The diva too," Meiko added feeling a bit somber. The fight the night before had done some damage on the woman. She was still sore from her injury in the village and it only was worse now. She glanced at Len who was standing in front of all of them. Determination was the only thing written on his face. "Right?" She asked desperate to get some kind of word out him.

Len hadn't said anything since the attack the night before. Things were just too complicated for him now. He hadn't realized there was so much at stake before. He stared up at the mountain and an overwhelming sense of fear crossed over him. "I will fight," he said to one in particular, grasping the pendant in his hands so tight he thought he might cut himself. Slowly he turned towards his comrades, "let's go."

* * *

The blue haired girl looked up at the light that poured down from the top of the mountain opening. Her dwelling was inside the huge mountain, carved out by magic and over a huge cavern. Blue light surrounded everything, mist brushed her ankles. The path to the platform she stood upon was nothing but giant stone pillars that seemed to come out of thin air and wrapped around in a perfect spiral. Crystals the size of people shot out of the walls and invisible floor, also giving off he faint reflection of magic light. There once had been a roof over the massive stage she stood upon but it was long gone.

The Pythoness continued to look up at if hearing something. A hidden voice or long forgotten song. "Ah," she said before jerking her head behind her. First she was startled but it only lasted a second before she smiled and turned fully around. The gown that dragged behind her pooled around her ankles like the mist. "They're coming," she chuckled darkly holing her staff tight in one hand while the other dangled loosely by her side.

* * *

"How do we know if we're going the right way or not?" Kaito asked as they ventured through a small hole in the mountain, praying it was a way to the center.

"We don't," Gakupo said holding a single candle out in front of them, it was just about the only thing he had on his person anymore aside from the small weapon he carried. None of them had personal possessions anymore; everything had been left behind.

"We're just walking into the dragons lair then," Kaito nervously laughed, "great. I wanted to die today."

"Don't be so dramatic," Meiko said rolling her eyes, bringing up the rear. "Weren't you listening at all? We have to face the Pythoness first."

"Which may or may not be an easy task," Gakupo added. The cavern seemed to go on forever in a never ending darkness. The walls got tighter and further apart as they went on and each one of them had their doubts as to where they actually were going. "The Pythoness," Gakupo said to break the silence, "is a young woman, cursed to forever tame the beast. Though it is up for debate who actually controls who."

"We went through this already," Kaito groaned.

"Then you were listening," Meiko snorted, "shocking."

"Shut up," Kaito snapped back though the threat was long gone from his voice. "She's cursed with that mask thing right? Can't she take it off?"

"Hardly," Gakupo shook his head, "it's on her by magic. Don't you think if it could come off easily, they would have removed it centuries ago?" No one bothered to answer. "According to the maps I found, what little information they gave said that inside this mountain will be the Pythoness' chamber. Then a way to the beast. Our problem will be getting past the woman, fighting the dragon and getting out." Every time he said it, it sounded more and more impossible. "Somehow," he sighed "and the candle won't last forever."

The sounds of their footsteps echoed for a long, bouncing off the rock and stone path under their feet. Len could hear the sound of their breathing and almost nothing else. One hand rested on his sword hilt while the other clenched in a fist. He was alert and on edge for some reason. Then again, who wouldn't be. "I'll take the life of the roaring voice. Let it write and sleep to the end of the world," he hardly sang the words, just mouthed them quietly.

"I think I see something," Kaito said pointing past the scholar. Everyone stopped a second and squinted to try and see through the darkness. Sure enough at the end of the tunnel seemed to be a fleck of light. "Is that where the Pythoness is?"

"Probably," Gakupo said blowing the candle out. After waiting for their eyes to adjust to the darkness again they begun to move forward. "We need to be quiet and work the element of surprise to our advantage."

"Right," Meiko said looking ahead at the boy as he kept far enough away behind Gakupo. They'd all agreed Len, being the youngest, should stay between them all for protection.

"If I can't reach you after dissolving light," Len muttered as they got closer.

"What is he doing?" Meiko whispered softly, moving closer to Kaito.

"Hm?" Kaito glanced back at the woman then over to the blond haired boy. "Oh, he's singing."

"Singing?" Meiko frowned, "why the hell would he be singing right now?"

"To tell the truth," Kaito sighed "I'm not entirely sure why he does it. It seems to work for him though. Ever since I met the kid he's been singing. He always says he hears a voice singing back and that one day he'll duet with it," the blue haired man shrugged, "I think he's crazy sometimes. I never hear a thing."

"Let him believe what he wants," Gakupo said looking back at the others as Len continued forward. "If that's what works. Let him be," he said shaking his head. "We've gotten this far haven't we?"

"Yes," Len said stopping on the path. His feet were centimeters from the spot light above. "We've made it this far and we'll continue forward still." He gripped the sword tightly and glanced back at the others. "You've all risked your lives to come with me this far. I wouldn't blame you one bit if you decided to turn back now."

For being only a kid, the adults couldn't help but feel belittled. He had more strength than any of them combined, that was for sure. As he stood there in front of them, the light pouring in from behind turning the boy into nothing more than a dark silhouette. It was true. They could easily all turn around and leave the boy. He'd been planning from the start to go it alone so why bother risking what they had for him and his crazy quest?

"No way," Kaito grinned coming forward. "I've come this far haven't I? Why would I go back now? It's not like there's anything waiting for me anyway."

Gakupo nodded and took a half step forward also, "I'm coming as well. I've made it this far and have seen more than any scholar before me. Any living scholar anyway. Besides, the only thing that awaits behind me is death by that mad woman Luka Megurine. I might as well go all the way."

They both had pretty words, no need to be shown up now. Meiko smiled and nodded, "of course I'm going. The way I see it, you've all grown on me enough. You're like family at this point and I can't just turn my back now."

"It's dangerous," Len said narrowing his eyes.

"This whole trip was dangerous," Kaito shrugged "and 'impossible' but here we are right? There's no way we're going to give up now."

Len just stared a while before offering a faint smile, "alright." He turned back towards the light as the others moved forward again. "Then I'll just finish off this artificial paradise with my own hands…"

* * *

Rin glared at the dragon as it slept. She hated knowing that her only way out might be past the beast and she hated herself even more for not going when she had the chance. Even as it slept Rin felt the danger of it all. How this powerful monster could crush her without even thinking about it. How her voice was slowly growing smaller and smaller until it would be nothing soon. Did they already know out there? Did they know she might be close to dying? Was there another diva picked out and awaiting?

The thought gave her chills.

"Len, I'm dying here" Rin said to no one and wrapped her arms around herself. "I might have found the way out though."

Suddenly the beast snapped its eyes open. Rin screamed without meaning to, faltering back so fast she tripped and fell over. The beast let out a loud screech that made the cave shake and Rin had to cover her ears. She'd never heard it make such a sound before!

The girl heard it screaming some more, this time in her mind. She cried in response and squeezed her eyes shut. When the sound had died enough, she cautiously looked back up at it. It was staring down at her with those massive red eyes, teeth bared as though it knew what she'd said.

Sing! It demanded with more force than ever before.

Rin cried out again and covered her ears harder. It was so angry! "I'm sorry!" She screamed up to it, "I didn't mean it!" She wasn't sure what she was trying to do. Reason with a dragon? Reason with a dragon that had already killed many girls before her? It was a long shot.

Sing! It demanded again and that's when Rin heard it. There was the noise of metal clashing. There were screamed from above her. Rin jerked her head up and saw the light above flicker just slightly. The girls eyes went wide as she grabbed at her pendant. It was scorching hot.

* * *

"So you are the boy I've had visions about," the girl said stepping forward on the platform. Her heels clicked with each step until she was at the base, looking down at the four warriors. "You do look like her. The trapped diva. Will you rescue her?"

"Yes," Len snapped as he watched the woman. She couldn't have been much older than he was. She was beautiful, that much was certain, with hair that had probably not once been trimmed. Her eyes were hidden behind a mask of silver and obsidian just as Gakupo had said. "I've come for my sister, where is she?" He gripped his sword tighter.

"The diva is not for you to save," she said smiling. "If she is taken away, my beast will be very upset and you will die instantly." She tipped her head slowly to one side, "you have a death wish upon you, don't you?"

Len said nothing.

The others held to their own weapons firmly, just in case something were to happen. The Pythoness pointed toward Gakupo, her hand seemed frail and limp. "You are of Kamui blood, are you not?"

"I am," Gakupo nodded sucking in a harsh breath.

"Yes," the girl said with another kind of smile. "Your mother was another I saw in visions. She was a powerful scholar as I assume you are." She said with a weak sigh, "it is a shame what tragedy befell her." Gakupo narrowed his eyes but said nothing in return as the girl turned and glanced at Meiko. "Your dear Teto sang beautifully," she mocked "I was sad to see her go as well."

"You bitch," Meiko hissed under her breath as the girl glanced at Kaito.

"You," she said softly. "You are a face I have not seen for a long time." Kaito's smile had long since vanished. He nodded and bowed down quickly before resuming his cautious position. "You and were to be kept great friends weren't we?"

"Perhaps," Kaito said with a pathetic smile "but one cannot change the past, so one can never know."

"Wise words," the girl said before raising her hand once more. "Last words," she corrected as her wrist emitted a strange black shadow that slowly wrapped around the rest of her hand and begun sparking blue. The group faltered back a few steps and raised their weapons, ready to see what would come of this show.

"Rise my warriors of the past," the girl said as many shadows begun forming on the platform. One by one they turned a blue tint also, bubbling up and up until they grew into terrifying shapes. They, at first, were human shaped but in no time their limbs deformed. Elongated body parts mixed with real ones and cast shadows everywhere until they were more like demons than humans.

"Fight for me," the girl said as the thins lunged forward. Len was the first to let out a battle cry, running forward and bringing his sword down on one of the creatures. It split in two but merely backed and rejoined before going after him again. The boy cursed under his breath as he went after them again.

The others were having the same luck as he. They would deal damage only to have the shadow reform and attack again. "This isn't working!" Meiko shouted right away, dodging one of the claws that came for her.

"It's a dark magic," Kaito explained dancing away to barely miss the attacks himself. "We can't use our weapons against them it doesn't work."

"Then what does work?" The woman shouted, flinched on her bad side as she tried to get away.

"Magic can only defeat magic," Gakupo said holding his own somewhere but even he was having a hard time. Maybe they would have been smarter just to run when they had the chance. He stopped a second and glanced back at the girl as she kept one hand raised, the other on her staff. Gakupo narrowed his eyes then looked where Len was.

He was far enough ahead that he might be able to get to the platform…

"Len!" Gakupo shouted to get the boys attention. Len grunted but looked back only a second to show he'd heard before jumping back into the fight. "Go for the girl! If you can stop her, you stop these things!" He shouted before doubling over in pain. A shadow from below winded him in the stomach. "Dammit," he coughed before falling over.

"Gakupo!" Len called back as he knocked another shadow away. He heard Meiko and Kaito have the same problems. The four of them wouldn't last long. He leaned forward holding his sword out in front of him, pointing the tip at the Pythoness. She just smiled down at him from her platform.

The two stared at one another for what felt like forever, then she let her hand drop back down to her side. The shadows screeched loudly before sinking back into the cave floor. "Come at me then," she scoffed to Len knowing exactly what he wanted.

He glowered at her a second before running at her. He lunged up the stairs and in one quick motion of his blade they collided. The girl blocked him with her staff, hardly having to put any pressure against it to keep him back. Len struggled as he glared at the girl. He didn't want to hurt her; it wasn't as though she had a choice in the fight but to fight back. It was that damn mask…

The girl smiled as she looked back at him. He was pressing all his weight on his weapon trying to get her to budge but she wasn't about to. "You are foolish," she said suddenly losing her smile. "You challenge the fates and you challenge me in hopes that you shall take on the beast. You are a fool is ever there was one in history."

Len said nothing, only grunted and pushed harder. The girl narrowed her eyes behind the mask leaning down a bit as though he was actually starting to wear on her. They were each struggling against the other, faces to close their foreheads almost touched. "I'm going to save her," Len snarled as he stared into the black holes of the mask where the girls' eyes should have been.

The girl said nothing in reply, only held him there. Then she smiled and leaned in closer so her breath was against his, "you. Will. Die." She whispered at him before throwing him back with a burst of light. Len had no time to react as he fell back down the stairs and onto the hard stone floor. His sword made a loud noise as it hit and slide away from him.

The boy tried to open his eyes, tried to move, but the world grew dizzy around him. He could feel his head throbbing and then he felt the warm liquid forming around him. He'd been hit too hard, he was bleeding and like the Pythoness said… He was going to die.

"Rin," Len said weakly as he tried to focus his eyes on everything. The others were still around him. They were broken as much as he was. He felt guilty again wanting to something to help them but knew he couldn't. He couldn't save anyone now.

The boy flinched and cried out as he moved his arm up and grabbed the pendant. It was hot. He was close, he knew he had to be. He stared at it a second feeling the tears weld up in his eyes. He was so close and he wouldn't be able to do a damn thing! The wave of dizziness passed over him again and he let his arms drop to the ground as he lay limp.

"I'm sorry," he whispered before everything went black around him.

~

"He's up there!" Rin shouted to no one as she looked up at the ceiling above her. She knew he was there and she knew he was fighting for her. She wasn't sure who exactly he was fighting though. Was the Pythoness up there? Was he winning?

Sing! The dragon demanded anxiously. Rin tried to ignore it though. She was done singing for it. She shook her head without looking at it. She just had to hold off for a little longer. He'd come, he'd save her. They'd get out of this hell and live happily ever after.

Then there was another loud roar from the dragon, this one was angrier than the last. Rin jumped and spun around quickly but by then it was too late. She remembered screaming but that was it. Then the world faded away and she was left alone.

* * *

The Pythoness looked down at Len, the heels of her boots clicked with each step as she hovered over him. He wasn't moving and she was sure he wasn't breathing at that point. She smiled at the sight and even lifted her hand up to her mouth as she let out a frail high pitched laugh.

"I told you," she said as she put her hand back down. "You and your sister are finished. Just like the diva before her and the warrior before you." She looked at the boy a second then turned and begun walking back for the platform.

"Miku…" A timid voice said from somewhere to the side. The girl flinched as she jerked her head back to the ruined bodies. Kaito was sitting up holding his side probably unaware than his head was dripping with blood. "What happened to you?" He coughed.

"I'm the Pythoness," the girl replied right away. "I watch over my beast and make sure no one threatens the peace I've created." She smiled and turned back away but he stopped her again.

"You didn't always think that way," Kaito said softly, leaning back against one of the broken pillars. "You use to…believe someone would stop this madness. Remember?"

"I don't," the girl snapped right away.

"I think you do," Kaito said weakly. He was feeling the same dizziness the others had felt. He wouldn't last long. "Miku… They took you away when you were young and they forced that damned thing onto your face. This isn't how you are. I know you. Don't you remem-"

"Silence!" The girl shouted, jerking her hand up at him. A shadow raised up out of the ground and in one quick motion it's bladed hand cut through the blue haired man. Kaito lurched with the attack, coughing up more blood. As the shadow vanished into the floor once again, the man fell forward and was motionless.

The girl shook as she let her hand fall back to her side. She stared at the others also. They were all still and probably would never move again. She breathed softly before turning back around. Something inside her told her it was wrong. Something told her she should be crying for them.

So she did.

She looked up at the blue light that poured from above, tears streamed down her cheeks from under her mask. "Please…" She said softly in a voice she hadn't heard in a long time. "Please sing…" 


	10. Chapter 9

phantombullets240 - Thank you! Believe it or not, that is very hard to do ;-; Now I don't even have the song to go off of.

Ruuya ruu-chan - Curiosity abounds! Here's the next one, hope you enjoy it.

Bluey306 - Yes yes, the idiot clown. I'm a big MikuxKaito shipper. Not like...Spazzy Fangirl thing but I do enjoy it here and there. And the explanation of why is coming up soon too. Again, it's not much but it goes with the story and makes me smile a little.

* * *

You, young warrior, will be sung about for ages.

- Sonnet 17, Song of the Brave

* * *

Len heard his foot steps and saw nothing but white. The world had died around him, leaving him in a bright nothingness. He felt a frown tug at his lips as he looked around. He was all alone. Len cursed to himself as he reached desperately for the pendant. His fingers grasped the metal willing it to give him any warmth but it was only like ice now.

"Dammit," he hissed before falling back against an invisible wall. "Dammit!" He shouted, listening as it echoed and bounced off the invisible world around him. He said nothing more as he let one hand dangle to his side while the other covered his face.

He felt weak.

Tears were burning in his eyes and he wouldn't let them fall. This was the end, wasn't it? Was he dead? He had to be… There was no other way to explain where he was or what he was doing. For what felt like forever, the boy stood there trying to suck the tears back.

'Sing…'

Len lifted his hand over his eyes, letting it rest on his forehead as he looked out. There was a voice. It was quiet and it was unfamiliar but it was there.

'Please sing…'

It beckoned in the brightness like a siren. It called for him and he wanted to call back but the strength had left his body. He gasped and let the air leave him as he looked up at no one. Nothing. It was just him and the invisible wall.

'Please sing…!'

The voice demanded. It begged. Len was tired and wanted to just sleep where he stood. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth as a song began. "I pray to protect. For the bright world…" a hushed voice sang. Len opened his eyes again. He knew who it was… "The bright world, where everyone can smile," it sang.

Len said nothing at first then smiled. It was that song. The one he didn't know and yet, "I fight to put an end. I saw you crying alone," he called to the brightness, standing firm and letting his voice carry. It was his song. It was their song.

"A song of hope of light to tomorrow," she sang sweetly.

"A song of despair, of shadow, to bury the past," he sang in reply, letting his fingers wrap around the ones that were there. The warmth overwhelmed him at first as he listened to her sing again.

"Giving my life to it, I sing vigorously," the girl sang, shifting enough so that Len could feel her against him. It wasn't an invisible wall at all.

Len smirked, "Your existence stolen from me, your voice ceases," he sang louder. He felt her tense. He wanted to turn around, to embrace her but he stopped himself. He opened his mouth and sang louder, their voices melted into one.

"Let my voice float with wind till I die…!" She shouted.

"A sink for the never-ending rain till I die…!" He called before turning over his shoulder. The girl that stood there didn't look back at first. She felt as scared as he was. "Rin," he gapped finding it hard to breath.

The girl jumped then slowly turned back towards him, "L…Len?" She asked softly. The two just stared at one another for a long time. The same yellow hair, the same sapphire eyes, the same complexion. They were mirror images of one another. "Len!" Rin smiled brightly, spinning fully around and reaching out for him.

Len opened his arms to catch her but when the impact should have come, it didn't. The girl vanished right through him and then was gone. The boy froze, staring at the empty world again. Had he imagined it?

No.

No, he couldn't have. She was there! He'd seen her! They sang their song! She wasn't a figment of his imagination. She had been there. Where did she go. "Where is she?" Len called spinning in tight circles looking for any sign of another presence. There was nothing there. "Where is my sister!" He screamed and heard his voice shout right back.

He screamed again and fell to his knees punching the ground below him. He was tired and frustrated and was sick of games. The impossible path he'd chosen was finally wearing him down. He was exhausted and couldn't stop the tears now. They fell freely from his eyes, streamed down his cheeks and puddled on the floor.

"Why don't you sleep little warrior?" The voice mocked him. The boy recognized it now as the Pythoness. "You've already lost. Give up. Sleep. Your sister is not far behind." She laughed, "history repeats itself."

Len's eyes snapped open.

The world was brought back to life in a flash of blue light and Len was laying there in the midst of it all. The Pythoness had her back turned to him as she made her way up the platform steps. He didn't hear his comrades and the painful thought of their demise crossed his mind. He grunted and forced himself to sit up but he was sore everywhere and his head was throbbing.

What had Gakupo said about defeating the Pythoness? Kaito said only magic would effect her but there had to be something else. Then Len remembered the fight he had against the girl, the way he'd looked into her eyes.

"The mask," Len whispered to himself as he looked around for his sword. It was laying a couple feet away from him and seemed to be in better condition than he was. He hoped the girl wouldn't hear him as he stumbled to his feet. Out of the corner of his eye he could their bodies and none of them moved.

The girl hadn't heard him yet but Len would have to be swift on his feet. As he wobbled and tried to stay balanced he couldn't help but notice the soft humming coming from the blue haired girl. He was confused a second but couldn't waste time.

"Little warrior has fallen," she sang to no one but the voice was broken and a bit distorted. "My, my, the diva will be next."

"Think again," Len coughed without meaning to. The girl gasped and whipped her head around. Len knew he looked pathetic standing there, blood dripped down his forehead and down his arm. He wondered how long he had to live.

"Why do you get up?" She asked him nervously, the tears dried on her face. "You are foolish to try," she said letting her smile slowly return. Len said nothing now, he turned and bolted for his sword as she lifted her hand and let the shadows wrap around. The shadows begun appeared again on the ground but Len dodged them with ease. He dipped down and scooped the sword up with his bad arm, wincing as he did.

The shadows screamed at him and tried to get to him but he continued to move around and be missed. He gripped the sword tighter as he ran for the Pythoness, target in sight. She made the shadows move faster but Len still was untouchable. "No!" The girl screamed taking a few steps back, willing her shadows to save her. "You cannot do this! It's impossible!"

There was a loud clash of sword against metal and the shadows immediately fell back into the ground. Len panted hard as he stood along the girl, his sword now back down by his side.

The girl hiccupped and tried to suppress her sobs but found it difficult to even try. She raised her head and, for the first time, saw the blue light clearly. "How…?" She whispered in astonishment.

"I'm going to finish this," Len hissed under his breath at her before making his way towards the platform. He was dizzy again but he had a feeling he knew where his sister was. "Rin," he coughed, grabbing the pendant that dangled from his neck. "I'm coming."

The blue haired girl said nothing at first then turned around, "she's waiting for you!" She cried at him. She had to say something now after all the hell she'd caused. "I believe in you young warrior!"

Len ran at full speed now, ignoring his pain as he tried to find a way. The platform… He remembered Rin talking about the cave. The cave was down below, it had to be!

"Len," he heard his sisters voice coming from the unknown. He looked up and saw the shape he'd seen in his dreams. The girl with golden hair and sky blue eyes. The boy reached out for her ignoring the blood that stained his fingertips.

"I'm coming Rin," he said with a faint smile, tears reappeared in his own eyes. "I'm coming!"

* * *

Kaito coughed before gasping for air. He winced and held his stomach looking around. Where was he? Did he die? He remembered feeling pain and then being stabbed and then nothing. He recognized the inside of the cave they'd gone into and he noticed the same blue glow to. "I'm alive?" He asked scanning the room, deeply confused. "How?" He asked to no one.

Then Gakupo came into view, checking over his wounds. "Magic," the man said simply. He himself looked beat up and past him Kaito could see Meiko.

"Magic?" Kaito asked noticing Gakupo had little scratches here and there but nothing looked too drastic. "What happened? I thought I'd died."

"It seems we all thought the same," Gakupo said with a weak smile. "A fine illusion if I do say so myself." He looked back and moved enough out of the way for Kaito to see the frail Pythoness. She was kneeling down somewhere near Meiko, burying her face in her palms and he assumed she was crying.

"Illusion?" Kaito asked with a frown.

"Yes," Gakupo said rubbing his head a bit. "It would appear the Pythoness has played a trick on our minds. She created those creatures and wounded us greatly but… It seems when the boy broke her mask, we were revived. I'm not too sure myself."

Kaito said nothing for a while then looked over at the girl, "Len broke the mask?"

"Yes," Gakupo nodded with a long sigh, "it would appear so."

Kaito wasn't sure what to say about that at first, then looked over towards the girl, "how is she? How is Miku?" Gakupo gave a questioning look which made Kaito laugh weakly, "ah. I guess I have some explaining to do."

"Yes, you do."

* * *

There was a dripping sound from above and a harsh breathing somewhere off to the side. Len regretted jumping right away. He shivered as he started gaining feeling back in his body. He was numb all over, arm aching worse now than before. He was laying in some kind of cool water only a few centimeters deep and he doubted that's what saved his fall. The boy lay there a moment trying to bring himself back to life before her swallowed some of the water. He choked and jerked up awake spitting out the mixture of blood and water.

Blood. Len looked down at the shallow pool he was soaked in. It was red alright but the consistency was too thin for it to be just blood. He first thought it was all from his arm, that he'd been knocked unconscious and bleed everywhere. Then a jab of realization hit him and he searched the room.

Where was Rin?

The Pythoness said she was waiting for him but where? He assumed she'd meant down here but there was no sign of the girl. There was no sign of anything for that matter. He took in all the sights of the cave. How vast it was and how dark it was. Where was the sky? Was the blue light above the end of it? He smell was awful too; rot and must and mold and blood. The scent of blood was strong but that could be because it was on his face.

He limped to his feet, stumbling a little and looked around. It was huge and empty but there was no sign of the girl. "Rin?" He called weakly, his voice was too hoarse to rise above a whisper. He coughed again and held his side then looked for his sword. It'd fallen some what farther away. He glared at it and slowly went over, kneeling and scooping it up. It was almost as beaten up as he was.

Then Len noticed the small metal object beside where the sword had been laying. He frowned confused then tipped his head to the side as he knelt down and picked it up. The boy felt his heart skip a beat as he looked at the shape of a music note. It matched his pendant even though the shape was different. "Rin?" He asked it noticing how icy it felt, then "Rin!" He shouted despite his throat aching.

His voice echoed through the cave but he got no answer in reply.


	11. Chapter 10

Ruuya ruu-chan - Haha, I found her!

Allie - Thank you so much! It's comments like these that make me want to write at all. I only wish I worked harder on these. Thank you though for reading, I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

The beast loved to play games, children, you see, and that was it's downfall.

- Legends of the Warrior

* * *

"RIN!" Len shouted at the top of his lungs, forcing back the coughing fits that arose. He spun in tight circles, jerking his head every which way trying to find any sign of the girl. There was nothing anywhere. Just darkness and the mocking breeze that came from an unknown source. He was too late. How could he be too late?

He screamed and fell to his knees, slamming his fists down. The ground shook slightly and Len was too distraught to care. This whole journey had been a waste after all, he thought to himself as he let the tears fall freely. There was no point in containing them now. People had died, villages had been ruined, his comrades and only friends were gone now and so was his sister.

The whole journey had been for nothing. No one was going to save him either, he'd die down in that cave as a broken child. No doubt they would bring a new Diva to take Rin's place. Or maybe not. Maybe the Pythoness without her mask would be useless and they'd leave their deal with the beast.

"The dragon…" Len said to no one when he opened his eyes and lifted his head enough to scan the cave. He hadn't heard from it yet and he was sure this was where it was. He hadn't seen it leave… And he hadn't seen it in here yet either. Unless it was sitting back and laughing at his misfortune, picking it's teeth with Rin's bones. The image disgusted the boy.

He stumbled back to his feet keeping his sword tight in hand as he looked around. The cave walls all seemed solid. There was tiny opening and small caves here and there but nothing a creature that big could slip out of. Then Len wondered if the creature really was a giant like the stories said. Maybe it could change size. Maybe it could sneak in and out through the cracks.

"Come out!" Len beckoned loudly holding his sword in a neutral pose. "I'm not scared of you." He said narrowing his eyes. The cave shook again and Len struggled at first to keep balance. He caught himself then looked around again. A loud grumbling sound erupted from the depth of the cave and Len almost thought of it as a laughing sound.

"I'm not scared of you!" Len repeated more bold now than before.

The entire cave shook again, this time it was more violent. Len fell to one knee making sure his sword was still positioned. Then he saw it. One of the cave walls shifted and turned. It was spinning around like a humongous ball; but this ball had a tail and claws and scales.

Len felt the breath suck right out of him as he stared at it. The dragon from legend was standing there, hidden once by the groove of the cave. Now that it had turned around, Len could see all the details of it. It gave a throaty growl down at the boy, its massive red eyes watched him intensely. The scales were a green so dark it looked black. Teeth sharp enough that Len knew it could bite through steel. The wings were folded but Len could still tell the span was immense.

The dragon growled again then tipped it's head to the side as if mocking him. Len grabbed his sword with both hands, arching back ready to strike and then he noticed the dragon was holding something. The limp form of a blond haired girl.

* * *

"Miku and I grew up in the same village," Kaito said quietly still in a daze from the whole 'dying' thing. Gakupo was working on wrapping their wounds, ripping apart any spare clothing they had. Meiko watched, holding her side tight while the lone Pythoness continued to stay off on her own. "She and I were actually close friends," Kaito played with a smile but it was lost when Gakupo pressed too hard on his cut. "When we got older we were both promised to be taught basic magic. Nothing huge but enough in case we ever had to use it."

"A magician's village then hm?" Gakupo said thoughtfully, "I knew they existed but never figured you to be one of them."

Kaito shrugged, "I never really had a knack for magic. That's one of the reasons I moved on to another village."

"What happened then?" Gakupo asked only half interested. Out of their little group, Kaito was the one he knew least about but that didn't mean he wanted a sob story.

"Miku took to magic well," Kaito explained looking over at the girl. "She was gifted with it and that's why they chose her to be the next Pythoness." He frowned and stared down at the ground, memory of the day fresh in his mind. "I remember her crying and screaming and begging them not to put that mask on her. No one listened though. I remember," he clenched a fist at his side, "trying to get them away from her but they pushed me aside and told me it had to be done."

Kaito stopped for a while just quiet as he watched the ground. "When they got the mask on, she wasn't Miku anymore." He said softly barely glancing up at her now. "She was different. Her entire attitude had changed and there wasn't anything I could do to help." He was almost whispering at that point but at least he had Gakupo's attention. "They took her away after that and I never saw her again. Reason number two why I left home."

"You became a clown after that?" Meiko asked clearing listening in.

Kaito snorted, "if you want to call me that. I assumed a more carefree life would make me forget everything that happened."

"It didn't though," Gakupo shook his head as he wrapped Kaito's arm.

"Hardly," Kaito nodded. "I just kept having nightmares about her every time I closed my eyes. That was when I met Len. He said he was looking for his sister, the Dragon Diva. I told him I'd go with him for protection but really…"

"You were coming for her," Meiko finished. Kaito nodded again slowly. "Well, hero, here we are. What are you going to do?"

Kaito looked over at Meiko, hardly amused then with a flinch he stood up. Gakupo frowned at him but didn't stop him as he wobbled to his feet and made his way over to the girl. The ex-Pythoness said nothing as he sat there, back turned looking at the platform she once kept guard on. Her staff was resting further away from her, broken shards of the magical mask still lay on the stair steps. She had been crying and by now her eyes were nothing but red puffy orbs.

She either didn't notice the others or purposely ignored them. The girl hiccupped and rubbed at her eyes then jumped when hands touched her bare shoulders. She spun her head around and saw Kaito kneeling besides her with a weak smile. "Kaito…?" Miku said softly, tears starting once more. "I did a bad thing."

Kaito didn't say anything though. Just leaned close and pulled her against him a small embrace.

* * *

"Rin!" Len screamed when he saw his sister. She was the same as in his dreams, he'd know her anywhere. The dragon tipped it's head to the side and made another monstrous laughing sound, it's claws tight around the girl. It was mocking him. Len growled and held tighter to his sword until his knuckles turned white. "Give her to me!" He shouted at it but the dragon didn't seem to want to listen.

It snorted down at him then bared it's teeth. It didn't attack, it didn't move, it just kept staring down at the boy intensely as if it were trying to tell him something. When Len didn't budge, the dragon screeched loudly and shook the walls of the cave until the girl finally begun to stir. "Ow…" She groaned lifting a frail hand up and touching her head.

"Rin!" Len shouted again up at her with desperate eyes.

The girl gasped then slowly begun to wake up as she looked down at him. Was this another dream of hers? The scene seemed all too familiar and yet the pain she felt assured her she was indeed awake. "Len?" She asked confused then struggled and sit up in the dragon's clutches, "Len! Get out of here!"

"Not with you!" He replied right away. "I've come this far, I'm not leaving you now!" He didn't know the way out even if he wanted to. The dragon made another angry snarl down at him then screeched loudly once more.

Rin screamed and covered her ears, "it's angry!" She shouted back down at the boy. "The…The dragon is saying it'll spare your life if you leave now!"

"I'm not leaving," Len said narrowing his eyes at the beast, "I defeated the Pythoness, I'll defeat you too."

That made the dragon even more angry. It's eyes went wide and glowed faintly. It made a low growl in the back of its throat and slowly started to rear up. "L…Len! Get down!" Rin shouted but by then it was too late. The dragon lurked forward with a wide jaw, fire shot out at the boy. Len scrambled and managed to roll away from the flames but it was close, the hem of his cloak catching a blaze. He immediately tore it off and threw it aside. It'd be easier to fight without it anyway.

His shoulder throbbed and screamed at him to not move it but there was no way he couldn't at this point. The dragon screeched again as it reared up once more. This time when he shot forward it stomped out of its little hole, tossing the girl somewhere to the side. Len saw a flash of white from the girls dress then heard a loud slamming sound when she hit one of the walls and fell. "Rin!" He shouted and started running for her but didn't make it far as the dragon shot another wave of fire at him.

The boy jumped back and managed to avoid the hit again but now the ground was hot and anymore might be hard for him to walk on; especially if his boots started to melt. He glared at the beast then looked back at his sister who was struggling to sit up. There was a gash on the side of her head that Len could see now. Staining the right side of her face. Not only that but her dress was ripped in places and her arms and legs didn't look much better. She was pale too, probably from how much blood she lost. If they didn't get out of there soon, they'd both be goners.

Len gripped his sword again and turned to the dragon as it slithered up and stretched its wings as far as it could. This cave seemed so large and yet this beast could hardly even open up in it. Maybe this would be harder than he thought.

* * *

"What was that?" Meiko frowned as everyone silenced and tried to hear the sound again. A roaring sound followed by screams and the ground shaking under them. "Is that the dragon?" She asked looking at Miku.

"Yes," the girl said weakly as she stood there, half leaning against Kaito for support. "It sounds like your friend is fighting with it…"

"Is there anyway to tell whose winning?" The red knight asked glaring at the girl, still bitter about the remark she'd given her earlier.

"The dragon is," Miku said right away shaking her head. "There's no way to stop it. I might have been able to control it before but now… My mask is broken. No one can control it."

"Shit," was all Meiko said as she turned and paced away from them.

"Then we have to get down there and help him," Kaito said pushing the frail girl away from him. She looked at him with pleading eyes. "He's our friend. We told him we'd fight with him and we're just standing here waiting. He has a fighting chance, sure, but without us… He won't get far."

"Especially if he's broken anything like we have," Gakupo said shaking his head from the side. "He's strong but that boy is foolish. If his sister is even still alive, neither of them have any hope of escape."

"Hope is all they have now," Miku muttered brushing some of her bangs back. She hadn't realized how long her hair had gotten. She slowly made her way over to her forgotten staff, finding it hard to lift. The mask apparently had given her more strength than she thought. She held it firmly then turned towards Kaito, "I may not have my mask anymore but I'm not some petty magician. Maybe I can still communicate with the dragon enough to help them out."

"Are you sure?" Kaito asked with a stern look. "You're out of practice aren't you? Without the mask, I mean."

Miku gave a tiny smile, "maybe. I have to try though right?" She said slowly making her way up the steps. Without that mask on the terrifying Pythoness seemed like nothing more than a mere child really. An innocent girl taken away from friends and family and nothing more. It was as though the bitter cruel girl she'd been had been wiped away. Which all of which was true. Still, as she stood on top of the platform, holding out the staff too big for her arms, she looked nothing short of powerful.

"Dragon," Miku called softly as she closed her eyes and tipped the staff so it lay perfectly horizontal in the air. "Hear me now," she said letting go of the it and holding her hands out with open palms. A faint blue light came off her finger tips and onto the staff, leaving it hovered in the air. "You will listen to me!" She didn't sound very convincing though.

* * *

Len smashed against the cave wall and cried out before falling over and holding his side. He was losing too much blood now, his vision was blurring and spotted. The dragon kept coming at him harder and faster each time so the boy had no time to recover. At least Rin was safe, he thought looking over where the girl had fallen. She was still awake and still watching but the dragon didn't show any interest in her. The boy frowned though as he looked at her. She seemed to be waving in some direction to the side lines. Len didn't dare look though.

The dragon came at him again, this time it was with claw an fang. Len stumbled to his feet and managed to dodge out of the way but it came at him again. This time it caught the boy, pinning him against the wall. Len flinched and tried to get it to let go but with all his jumping and dodging, he'd dropped his sword somewhere. He heard screaming, probably from his sister, but his hearing was muffled. The boy looked up at the beast with narrowed eyes, daring it to kill him now.

The dragon snarled at him, twitching it's snout as it started to retract another flame before shooting it out at him. It was going to barbeque Len right then and there. The boy welcomed it though. What else could he do now. His only regret was that Rin was watching. All her hopes and dreams of being saved by a hero would be wasted. She'd see her hero go up in flames and then what? What would the dragon do to her? Would she go on having to sing? Would she drop dead from the blood lose when it finally caught up to her? Or would the dragon turn on her and do the same painful death it'd cause him?

Either way Len closed his eyes and waited. His body felt numb and maybe, just maybe, the death would be a fast one. The dragon lurched back enough to give itself enough room but right when it was about to release the flame, it stopped and jerked it head up toward the ceiling. It seemed annoyed if a beast could show it. Len glanced over toward Rin who was holding her head as though something was happening to her. "Rin?" He coughed out barely audible at that point.

The girl kept holding her head then slowly stood up and limped for something. Len turned his gaze to follow her and then he noticed what she'd been flailing at. There was some kind of hole in the wall. A small cave inside the big one. Len weakly smiled when she slipped inside and even that hurt him. He looked back at the dragon that seemed to get more and more angry. The rest happened too fast for Len to really process.

The dragon threw him back down to the floor and leapt up to hit the top of the save ceiling. The entire mountain shook as the dragon did it once more, screeching loudly up at it. What was going on up there? Len wondered as he looked around. He saw his sword laying there and scooped it up right away. Then his feet seemed to move on their own, scampering toward the smaller cave he'd seen Rin vanish into. The dragon wasn't paying attention, it was his only chance.

Len fell back into the tiny cave with a painful groan and was immediately embraced. It took him a second to even realize who it was or what was going on but the second he did, he tossed the sword aside and held her back. "I'm sorry," he said right away.

"Don't be," Rin replied. She sounded like she was crying. Len felt terrible but didn't let go at all. "Your hurt," she said next.

"Not as bad as you are," Len replied with the faintest chuckle. Everything ached. "What happened back there?" He found himself asking as he reluctantly pulled back.

"The Pythoness," Rin said with a weak smile as she rubbed her eyes. "She's trying to talk to it." Len got a good look at her now. Her beautiful blond hair was mangled and stained with blood much like his must have been. Her eyes were red now from crying but they were the same blue he'd seen in his dreams. Her dress must have been once an amazing loosely worn sundress, now destroyed like everything else. She was there though, and that was all that mattered.

"The Pythoness?" Lena asked suddenly when he'd come to. "How? I destroyed her mask."

"That's probably why it's so mad," Rin said peeking over her shoulder and glancing out where the dragon was. It was still angrily screaming up at the cave top. "It's telling her she can't control it anymore. It's telling her it has no master anymore."

"You can understand it?" Len asked finding himself sitting on some kind of stone plate. He noticed a few small things here and there. Worn down pillow, half a blanket, some rotting food. It must be her bedroom.

"Of course," Rin nodded, going and sitting beside him as she held her arm. "All the Diva's can. It's like… A sound in your head. It speaks to your through your thoughts."

"Sounds annoying," Len muttered as he looked over at her.

"Not really annoying," Rin shook her head looking down at the ground. "It's more painful than anything." Len frowned as he watched her. She was so broken, in more ways than one and he hated seeing her like this. "We're going to die here aren't we?"

"No," Len snapped right away. "We're not. I've come this far and I'm not-"

"You were ready to give up out there," Rin said softly. "I saw it. In your eyes. You were ready to die."

"I-" Len tried but stopped himself. She was right. He'd been ready to give up out there. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I just don't know what to do… I knew this would be impossible but I never thought I'd be this tough. Rin, does it have any weakness?"

"I don't know," she said shaking her head. The dragon seemed to still be oblivious to their planning. In all the years Rin had sang to the beast, didn't she know of any weakness it had? Any at all? The only time it seemed powerless was when it was asleep and that only happened after she- "singing." Rin said softly turning to look over at Len. "We sing to it."

"Singing?" Len asked with a frown. "Rin, I don't think this is the time for-"

"You don't understand," Rin said standing up. Len saw her flinch. "The dragon loves hearing songs. That's it's only weakness. It…It loves to hear songs. Any songs at all. That's why it keeps the diva in the first place."

"I don't think it's in the mood to hear songs though," Len said motioning outward, "do you hear it? It sounds pissed off. It's not going to just forget everything because we sing to it."

"That's all I've got," Rin said with a weak smile. "You…do know how to sing don't you?"

Len was taken back by that. Him know how to sing? Like a bird knows how to fly. He'd sang with her once before hadn't he? Or was that still part of the dream? "Of course I sing," he said frowning as though offended.

"Then we have to try it," Rin said grabbing his hand and gently tugging him out. Len followed, limping all the while. He had a bad feeling but if Rin was right… They had to try it. If anything, they'd at least do it together.

When they ventured out into the main cave, the dragon had calmed enough by now to stop it's attacking. It growled up then snarled down as the twins stepped forward. It still wasn't in a forgiving mood. It spread its wings as far as it could and screeched down at them. Len covered his good ear with his free hand, the other one still holding to his sister tight.

"We want to sing to you!" Rin called up to it. Her voice was hoarse. Len wondered how'd she be able to sing at all. "Please," she said sighing a little. "I know you like it! Let us try and please you!" There was a long pause as the dragon just stared down at her. Len watched confused. Maybe it was talking to her. It must be because she replied, "yes. If we don't please you."

What was that suppose to mean? Len frowned and looked up at the dragon. It didn't look like it was in a forgiving mood at all. Even if they sang to it, what would happen? "All voices encounter light and lead to shadow. As the repeating history…" Rin started.

It was another song Len didn't know but he opened his mouth anyway. "The thumping sound of the infinite world resounds." The words just poured from his mouth at that point. Everything he was fighting for. Everything he had to live for. "To declare the end. All lives end and grow back."

The dragon seemed to be listening though, cocking its head to the side. Len wasn't sure if that meant it was pleased or not. The boy licked his chapped lips and opened his mouth wider to belt out the song he didn't know. Or maybe he did know it. Maybe somehow he'd heard it long ago and just forgotten. Either way, he sang.

And Rin sang too.

"Again in paradise of light and shadow… Let my wish reach there…!"


	12. Chapter 11

One pebble to create a landslide.  
One boy to change the world.

- Legend of the Hero

* * *

"I hear singing," Meiko said softly looking over at Miku and Kaito. The dragon would have done quite a bit of damage had the platform not been held by magic. The beast caused several quakes and knocked the girl down a few times but it seemed to have died down now. Miku was half clinging to Kaito for support as she nodded and looked back at the woman.

"It's Len for sure," Kaito said just barely hearing the words.

"And I know that's the Diva," Miku said softly. "I've heard her voice many times before but never like this."

"That's because their twins," Gakupo said frowning at one of the crevasses where the darkness formed and lead down below into the pit. "They're one person split in two. Together they're whole again. If they weren't twins then this journey would probably turn out the same as all the others before it." He glanced at Meiko and saw her flinch, "I think they have a chance."

"They don't!" Miku cried shaking her head, "the dragon is big and dangerous and they're just two kids. There's no way they could survive fighting that thing. I tried to talk it down but it didn't work. If I can't control it, no one can."

"Who says we have to control it?" Kaito smiled, "all we have to do is defeat it. Once it's gone, the entire kingdom will be safe again."

"One problem," Gakupo said with a long sigh. Everyone turned to the scholar. "She's right. There's no way they could survive fighting that thing. Before the Diva was even given, many armies tried to destroy it and none survived. It was too strong."

Everyone was silent for a bit then Meiko snorted and grabbed her sword, "then what the hell are we doing up here?"

"We can't go down there," Kaito snapped right away, "not in our condition."

"Our condition? Len took a beating for all of us," Meiko retorted angrily. "He shouldn't even be alive at this point but he's down there right now fighting!" More silence passed as if everyone was thinking of what to do.

"He should be dead," Miku said in a whisper. "I fought hard again him. He stopped breathing, I know he did. He should have died and stayed that way."

"You killed us though too," Kaito said frowning.

"Yes but I killed you all with illusions," Miku confessed shaking her head, "I really went after him. I don't even know how he's gone on."

"He's trying to save his sister," was all Gakupo said looking back at the hole. Everyone nodded, staring back at the hole also. They could hear noise and they all knew the twins would be in trouble once the dragon came to its senses.

"I might be able to…" Miku muttered to herself suddenly before turning towards Kaito, "Kaito I need you help." The blue haired man looked over at her and without hesitation nodded. "I'm going to try one last spell," she said with a faint smile, "if it works, they might stand a chance," she explained. He just nodded again.

* * *

Len heard Rin's voice waver. Something was wrong. The dragon wasn't attacking, just listening to them but Rin didn't sound very good. She was trying to keep up and was trying to sing her parts but now and then she'd miss a beat. The dragon didn't seem to notice but Len could. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and saw she looked even more pale. She stopped a second to cough before singing again. Len thought he saw blood.

They continued to sing, repeating most of the same words since the dragon didn't know any better anyway, then Rin doubled over and went into a coughing fit. "Rin," Len leaned over, resting an arm over her. She waved at him but continued to cough. She was bleeding… The boy frowned, narrowing his eyes as he watched her. She'd been singing her whole life for countless hours on end, of course her voice would be going out.

The dragon made an impatient noise, growling as it reared slightly. Len pushed Rin behind him, holding his arms open to block her as he continued to sing. "From the time we two were born alone, I've searched for the glass tears with an open mind," he sang up at the beast. It came back down to a neutral pose but it didn't mean anything. It was still angry that she'd stopped. "I've walked along this path and kick dirt with the toe of my shoe searching for your voice for ever long year," Rin stirred behind him but he didn't dare glance back. "A way to find you, I'll never know, but by hearing your voice in my heart I plea."

The dragon tipped its head to one side as though it understand somewhat. Len knew it couldn't possibly though. "Through the rain and sorrow, I'll find your prison and break apart the chain that bind. Forever in light I'll drag you from until the world in whole is yours and mine!" He wasn't sure what he was even saying at that point, the words just came out in messes and jumbles.

The dragon understood them though. It screeched loudly and spread it wings, arching back as it sucked in a breath. Len could see the sparks of flames already dancing on it's fangs. Len cursed under his breath and reached to his side, thankfully he found his sword and held it firm. If only he knew what he was going to do with it… The dragon was just going to open it's mouth wider and barbeque them on the spot. What good would his sword be?

"The gland," Rin said pointing slightly out with a bloodied hand. Len froze a second then looked at where she was pointing. The dragon's mouth was opening wider and wider and if the boy squinted enough he could see it. The fire was forming around one spot in the mouth and spreading to the rest of the jaw. Maybe if he hit it…

"Right," Len said turning his sword on its side and positioning himself. He'd never been one for throwing things, he didn't have enough arm strength to really launch anything that far or that high. He'd never tried for one thing. Not only that, but the sword wasn't an aerodynamic spear or anything. It was a clunky metal object with a heavy handle. There was no way he could aim it enough to hit the dragon's gland.

He had to try something though because the flames were getting bigger now. Each moment feeling like a stop motion in time. Rin quivered behind the boy as he tried to ignore his throbbing shoulder. "Come on…" He glared at the beast trying to hold the sword as straight as possible. The dragon made another loud roar, arched up again then slammed it's body down on the ground opening it's jaws wide. Fire shot out but in the moment Len saw an opening. "Hold on Rin!" He shouted, throwing the sword through the center of the flames.

Rin screamed but there was too much fire. They couldn't get out of the way now. Len grunted and quickly spun around, throwing his hands over his sister. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for impact. He heard the dragon roar in pain but he wasn't concerned about that for the moment. He tensed up at he felt the heat wave wrap around them. He snapped his eyes open and paused a moment before cautiously turning back. It was warm, not burning or even that hot…

"What is that?" Rin asked looking past the boy. The flames had risen around them angrily but didn't actually touch. Instead, they seemed to go over them in a dome shape before slowly dying down. When they almost completely gone the twins could see the thin glowing blue shield around them.

"Magic," Len found himself saying with a tiny smile glancing upward. Kaito no doubt. His happiness was cut short though by the loud screeching the dragon was making. Both of the twins turned to look as the dragon lashed about, muzzle wide open as if trying to shaking something from it. "My sword," Len said when he saw a glint of metal. The two just watched some more as the beast bashed it's head against the walls trying to get the object off.

To their surprise, no fire came out past a few sparks that couldn't catch hold of anything. "Len," Rin said tugging at his arm. The boy flinched but looked back at her. "Now's our chance," she said pointing up ahead. Len tried to look but couldn't see anything apart from the little hole in the ground where the dragon had been. "The way out, come on," she said starting to run and taking him with her.

He stumbled a bit and felt his muscles screaming at him to stop and rest but he couldn't. Not if there was a way out. This would be their only chance. They managed to slip past any falling rocks and get around the massive beast that paid them no mind at all. Into the grove they dipped down and kept running towards the wall. Len frowned though. There wasn't an exit anywhere in sight, had his sister gone mad? "Rin, there's nothing he-"

"There is! Just trust me!" She called back to him, forcing him to keep running. As the dragon thrashed about the cave shook and seemed more and more unstable. Eventually they hit into the far wall and the girl begun feeling around. "It's here somewhere, I know it is." She said moving around. Len just stood there watching but wasn't sure what she was looking for. It all looked solid to him. She truly had gone mad…

Len looked back at the beast as it continued to whip its head around. Then he saw it in a flash of steal the sword went flying. The boy wasted no time running for it as the dragon snorted and tried to recover. "Len!" Rin shouted back at him but he wasn't listening. It wasn't far. He easily caught it and went running back by her. That was about when he noticed it. His sister's hand was half in the wall, rippling as though it was going through wall-colored water.

He asked no questions as he grabbed her hand and dove right in. The two of them squeezed inside and instantly all the noise from inside the cave was gone. Their bodies felt heavy but in an odd sort of way. They moved and spoke as if natural but the feeling was very compressed. Len looked back at Rin for an explanation, "I think it's a magical entrance they created in order to come down into this cave."

"It's better than jumping, that's for sure." Len muttered, remembering his throbbing limbs.

"We'll be safe here," Rin said coughing a bit. They both were a wreck. "We can stay and rest for a bit then leave." She suggested as Len attached his sword back to his belt. The girl started to lean against the wall but Len shook his head and tugged her back into walking.

"No," he said sternly. "My friends are still waiting for me." He wasn't even sure of that. Kaito was obviously alive but the others… "Besides, I'm pretty sure that thing isn't going to stop." Rin looked at Len desperately. He knew she was as tired as he was but either way, she nodded and followed after him as he went deeper into the crevasse. "How far away is the exit?" He asked as he reached out to try and feel ahead. It was cool and once in a while he felt a breeze but he couldn't actually see a way out. The entire field they were in was distorted and dark up ahead no matter how much closer they got.

"I'm not sure," Rin said keeping up so well she almost stepped on Len's heels. "I just discovered that it was here a little while ago. I've never been inside and I've never seen the way out. Do you think I would stay here if I had?" Good point. Len just nodded and he kept going. She'd never been in here? Perfect. This tunnel could go on forever. "There must be a way out though," Rin assured as if able to hear her brothers doubts. "I think this is how they bring food and water and clothes and everything else. Maybe it's even where they brought me…"

Len had never given it much thought. When he thought about offering the dragon its diva, the boy had just gotten a picture of them tossing babies into the mountain. It seemed farfetched but it wasn't like he had anything else to go off of. Especially not something like this… "What are your friends like?" Rin asked after the silence begun eating at her. "They must be nice if they're your friends."

"They're fine," Len said not sure how to answer. He wouldn't exactly call them 'friends' but that's pretty much what they were; even if they weren't the boys first choice. Friends were people you enjoyed being around, who understood you and stood by you through hell and back. Friends were the ones who you trusted with your very life. In way, that's what the little group was weren't they?

"I've never had friends before, of course," Rin said softly. Len felt bad now. He'd taken so much for granted. The girl hadn't even seen the sky before! He felt like a low life when he thought of all the times he'd glared at the rain clouds or cursed the plants for not growing. Rin could sing about flowers but she'd never smelled one before.

"Kaito is kind of strange," the boy said suddenly. "He found me when I first started looking for you. He didn't ask a lot of questions either, just said he'd come with me. It was nice because I didn't like being alone." Len remembered before Kaito got there. When it was just him. Sometimes he preferred the emptiness of being by himself, but having someone else there was just so much better.

"Gakupo is a scholar who use to work in the palace. He's more serious than Kaito is and he likes to scold me but… I appreciate it more and more." Like a much older brother or the father the boy never really had. "Meiko just joined us when we escaped the castle-"

"You escaped the castle?" Rin asked in somewhat of an awe. "I've had visions of the castle and the dragon had brought things back from it but… I always assumed it was difficult to get away from."

Len laughed, "yeah well it wasn't easy." He said as he kept trying to feel up ahead. "It's been a long and pretty bad journey to get here," he said to the girl, though it sounded more like he was talking to himself. "I always knew it'd be hard but I wanted to save you. I knew you were alive."

"Why did it matter to you so much though?" Rin asked frowning. He felt her grip slipping and he quickly held on tighter.

"Because you're my other half," Len said simply. "Without out, I'm just… I'm nothing."

"I know how that feels," Rin said. He was pleased when she gave his hand a gentle squeeze in reply. "I'm glad you came to get me."

"Me too," Len said forgetting all about any physical pain he felt. His shoulder was still shattered, his muscles were aching and sore, even his vision now was blurring but it didn't matter. They were so close to getting out of there. "Don't worry Rin. I'll get you out of here, even if it's the last thing I do." Len spoke the last part quietly, faltering when his hand hit something solid.

* * *

"Did it work?" Meiko asked as the entire cave was silenced. They all was hushed as they listened for any sign the twins were still alive. There had been a loud scream from the dragon, the rumbling of earth and then…

Nothing.

"I'm not sure," Miku said softly, closing her eyes to try and concentrate more. Something felt off but she had no idea why. Kaito stood beside her, panting slightly. He hadn't used that much magic in a long time, it was a miracle he hadn't fainted it really. "I can't feel the dragon," she said at last looking towards the others again.

"So it could be dead," Meiko said with only a hint of relief.

"Somehow I doubt that." Gakupo said shaking his head as he tried to listen. Nothing. There was nothing to go off of to know who was alive, dead or even both. "Is there some way to get down there?" He asked turning to one of the gaps in the ground, "aside from jumping?"

"I'm not sure," Miku said again looking down. "The dragon can fly but… I don't know anything other than that. I know others come once in a while to bring things to the divas but I don't know how or when."

"Well that helps," Meiko said shaking her head as she looked around. There had to be some way down right? Okay, so there didn't have to be a way, but it would be nice if there was something. Especially if they had to get to the twins. If the dragon was dead… "How do they get out?" She asked to no one in particular. They all looked over at the red lady confused. "The twins," she explained. "If they're down there and the dragon is dead how do we get them out of there?"

"That's a good question," Kaito said with a sigh when he regained his composer. "I thought there was a way down for them to bring things to the diva but… I don't really know anything." Why hadn't he ever paid attention? Didn't Gakupo know anything? "Gakupo. Isn't there anyway down there? Something you read?" Gakupo said nothing so Kaito assumed it was a no. He turned to Miku, "there's no way to know if they're alive? Even a little bit?"

"Nothing I can think of," Miku shook her head. "There…is a strong spell I know though. Or use to know anyway. Back when I was the Pythoness…" She frowned as the others glanced over at her. "It's like a pulse. Sonar, rather. It's a wave of magic that goes out. I can feel everyone in the area, where they are, the build of the mountain. Things like that. It's just…really powerful. It takes a lot of magic."

"You're too weak at this point," Kaito muttered shaking his head also. "We just have to trust that Len will be back alive. With his sister."

"What if they're dead?" Meiko asked softly. "Do we just wait here forever for someone who might not eve come back?"

"No," Gakupo said glancing back the way they came. "No doubt Luka's army will revive and come after us again. We'll wait here for another day at the most. If he's not back by then… We'll leave."

"I guess that's fair-" Meiko tried as Kaito went over to the ledge.

"Len!" He called down it, only hearing his echo in return. "Hear that? You have a day to get back up here or we're leaving without you! Stop playing around!" He shouted before coughing and leaning down on his knees.

"I don't think he'll hear you," Miku said softly.

Kaito just smiled and looked back at her, "no. He heard me. I know him. He's good at listening."

* * *

"Was that them?" Rin asked looking over at her brother as he pressed against the invisible wall. He grunted and groaned in frustration before pulling back and panting a bit.

He nodded slowly before looking up. "Yeah. That sounded like Kaito," he said quietly. He only prayed Gakupo and Meiko were safe as well. The Pythoness was defeated but that didn't mean anything. The others could still be dead. "Looks like we've hit a dead end though," Len said shaking his head. He had been at it for a while now. Pushing and kicking and attacking this stupid invisible wall and nothing was happening. He couldn't even see the damn thing!

"Is there another way out?" Len asked in frustration. He heard Rin shake her head before he actually saw her do so. He cursed under his breath and reached out again. It just felt like a solid glass wall. It was cool to the touch but… It wasn't moving. Who knew how thick it was or where it even lead. It was hopeless to think about it as an exit; but where was that damn breeze coming from? "Rin, you do feel that too right?" Len asked frowning. "That air?"

"Yes," Rin nodded, "I'm not sure where though."

Len nodded also, closing his eyes as he tried to feel anything else. A keyhole. A slip. A knot. A weak spot in the cool glassy surface. There was nothing though… "Why?" Len asked to no one. He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his forehead against the wall. "We've come this far… Why can't we get out?" He asked feeling some kind of emotion. Anger, sadness, guilt, he wasn't sure which one. He just felt sick.

"Len," Rin said softly as she reached out and rested her hand on his shoulder. He flinched but didn't move away from her. "It's not your fault. You've already done so much."

"That's just it!" Len found himself crying. Crying? Those were tears streaming down his cheeks weren't they? He ignored them, "I don't want this to be the end! I fought armies to get here. I defeated the Pythoness. I killed the dragon! After all that, this is what's going to stop us from having our happy ending?" They were going to die there. There was nothing for them if they went back and there was no way to move forward. There was nothing anymore. This was the end.

Rin just stared at him for a while then smiled, "you're right. You have done so much." Len didn't seem to be listening. "It is strange though," Rin said reaching out and touching the invisible wall. It was cool to the touch but in a different way. It was solid though, "I was sure this was the way they got in and out…" She frowned and rubbed it gently. "Len. Who is in charge of what happens to this place? Out there? Is it the Pythoness?"

"What do you mean?" Len asked looking back at her. "I guess it's the Pythoness… She controls the dragon and everything…"

"There must be someone else though," Rin said confused. "If you defeated the Pythoness, and the dragon. Why can't we get out? Do you think it's some kind of strange security default? Make sure if anything happens, the diva can't escape."

"Maybe," Len said trying to think a moment. That would make sense. It would be unfair but it would make sense. Either way, they were still stuck there.


	13. Chapter 12

I've turned the tables on the gods.  
The fates have laughed at me and I've laughed back.  
Don't tempt me.

- The Hero against the World

* * *

"Len. I told you not to play with it," his mother scolded.

Len frowned but let go of the pendant, letting it drop back around his neck. "It itches," he insisted. She made him wear it even to bed. What kind of mother was she? He could suffocate in his sleep from the stupid thing. She went over and began tucking him in, kissing his forehead before she was finished.

"I know. It's very special though," she insisted sitting on the edge of his bed. "It's part of a set."

"A set?" Len asked curling up into his pillow. He was only seven summers or so by this point. Hardly caring about legends and spells and magic.

"That's right," she said with a faint smile as she reached out and poked his nose playfully. He laughed of course, faltering back into his sheets. "There's the Bass clef pendant that you have around your neck now. Then there's the Treble clef pendant someone else has that is very important to her too. The two communicate to one another."

Len had no idea what that meant especially since he was falling asleep. "It's the third pendant though that is important. The Alto clef will be the one to save you in the future." Len said nothing though before drifting off into a deep sleep.

* * *

Rin had fallen asleep some time ago; probably too exhausted from all the running around they'd done. Not to mention the stressful singing. Len was sitting besides her thinking how ironic it was. He'd dreamt of seeing his sister and being with her through the good and bad times but this was ridiculous. They'd been down in that little hole for who knew how long. They had to have missed their hour deadline. Just sitting and waiting. He was sure the others had gone by now. If the dragon was still alive, it hadn't done anything big enough to notice.

Len was just staring into the blackness of the tunnel, disappointed in himself more than anything. He played with his pendant trying to think of why this would happen to them. "What'd we do to deserve this?" Len asked himself mindlessly as he twirled the pendant more and more, thinking of when he was still just a child. His mother had known that the two would one day find each other through the necklaces. Some how it seemed she'd always known about everything.

It wasn't uncommon though. The child of an oracle or scholar or wizard or something to that effect was often taken to be the new diva. The way his mother talked, Len assumed she was an oracle of sorts. Always saying things like 'this will happen one day' and sure enough it would. It didn't mean anything now though.

"Mom," Len whispered softly glancing up, "what am I suppose to do now?"

* * *

"They're going to come for her you know," she said to the blonde mother. "Because of who you are."

"I know that," she replied rocking her two babies to sleep. They were hardly a few days old.

"I can help," the other woman said with a smile reaching out and stroking one of the babies. She couldn't tell which one it was though. "The oracle has told me plenty. I know the outcome of this ordeal but… I might be able to help change it."

"How?" The blonde one asked weakly. "They'll take Rin away and I'll never see her again."

There was silence between the two a moment and then a small boy stepped forward with a book of sorts. He had hair the color of eggplants that was just barely long enough to be tied back in a horsetail. His clothes were too large for his body but he'd grow into them eventually. "Mother?" He asked staring up at the woman.

"Thank you Gakupo," she smiled and reached down taking the book and opening it. "I've read about a set of pendants forged by the Pythoness herself. They have a gift about them. Two can communicate to one another in harmony while the third is merely a gateway."

"I don't understand," the blonde one said frowning a bit.

"It means," the woman pulled out two odd shaped music notes that dangled on silver chain. "That so long as your babies wear these, they will never be apart, in hopes that one day they will find each other again."

The blonde mother took them, examined them a few times then looked back at her babies. "Their lives will be full of strife…"

"Yes, but the necessary steps have begun to keep them safe and ensure them a peaceful future. Even after we're long gone." She flinched a bit by her own words. "Please. Make them wear them at all times."

"I will," the blonde mother said again then looked back at the other woman. "What about the third pendant though? The one that's suppose to be a gateway?"

The woman smiled at that and reached down patting her song on her head, "don't worry. It's all taken care of."

* * *

"His time is up," Gakupo sighed in annoyance as he stood up. His legs were stiff and throbbing from the fight earlier and now sitting around doing nothing for the past hour. "He's had his chance to be the hero." He muttered looking around.

"We can't leave him like this though," Meiko frowned as she stood also. "It's not right. If it was us down there he wouldn't hesitate to try everything physically possible to rescue us."

"True," Gakupo said softly rubbing his temples as though he was even more annoyed though it was hard to tell why. Kaito said nothing, only stared at the crevasses that lead downward. Miku hadn't said anything in a long time and the blue haired man wondered if she'd just fallen asleep. "My… My mother gave her life for this day." Gakupo said suddenly.

Everyone turned to look at him. "No, she didn't." Meiko said softly, "she gave her life because she didn't want to be imprisoned by the rulers of the kingdom who would have used her gifts for evil."

Gakupo scoffed, "is that what they're telling you now." He walked around the interior of the mountain cave looking carefully at the walls and platforms, making sure each one was secured. "My mother wasn't an oracle but she was close to the one that rules the kingdom now."

"Luka?" Meiko frowned, "but she would have just been-"

"A child," Gakupo nodded, "and much easier to persuade into spilling any secrets about the future." He stopped by one stone in the wall, reaching out and felling it before shaking his head and moving on. "My mother may have given he life, but it was in hopes I'd move forward to this day. Everything had been part of her original plan from the beginning. Kaito, she knew you would come looking for the Pythoness. Meiko, she knew you would turn against Luka and follow us from battle to battle after Teto's death." He stopped again feeling another part of the cave wall. "She knew I would come with Len if he told me his journey here. Every one of us has played a role in this day."

"What day?" Kaito asked annoyed.

"The day we finish this whole damn thing," Gakupo said reaching under his robes and pulling out a music note shaped pendant. "Tenor granted," he said as the entire wall glowed a faint orange color. Everyone was now on their feet, including Miku who must not have been asleep after all. They all looked towards Gakupo for an explanation. "This whole mountain was carved from magic," he explained as the walls returned to their normal color. "There was a secret entrance that lead down into the bottom of the pit to deliver the Diva the things she needed when she needed them. However, the only way to get down there was with the use of this pendant." He turned around and showed off the necklace.

"It's like Len's," Kaito said confused.

"Yes," Gakupo nodded putting it back in his robes. "The set. This pendant has bee passed down for generations through the castle but only the highest scholars are suppose to keep them. Others may use it but it must be returned back or else." He didn't bother to continue that train of thought. "I was hoping Len would find his own way out but it seems we've put too much faith in the boy." He pressed against the stonewall but it didn't appear solid. Instead, his hand rippled right through it like it was immersed in water.

"Gakupo?" Meiko asked in shock. The group slowly made their way over to the older man.

He just gave a faint smile and nodded, "come on. Let's get that brat out of here."

* * *

Len just kept staring at the wall. He felt cold now and even he was starting to feel hungry and tired. How long had it been since he'd eaten a good meal? It seemed selfish compared to the hell his sister had gone through. He closed his eyes and felt his body go numb. He was slipping… He could easily let his mind drift off and then he could-

He snapped his eyes awake again. No! He couldn't fall asleep. If he did, he might not wake up. He frowned at the thought and reached over to check the sleeping girl beside him. Good, she was still breathing. He let out a sigh of relief and stared up at the ceiling. She apparently had the stamina of a god. He wouldn't have been able to go through all she did and make it this far. Then again, maybe he already had in his own way.

"I have to stay awake," Len told himself though he wasn't sure why. If they both fell asleep and died here, would it matter? He wanted to save her and he did. Maybe this was a fitting end to their journey after all. He closed his eyes again and opened his mouth deciding to push back any thoughts of death and sing like he'd done in the past. "The number one princess in the whole entire world, I promise to be by your side."

When had he taken his sisters hand? Was it when they'd first sat down? He couldn't remember. All he knew was that he could feel it now and gave it a gentle squeeze. "So please smile. Don't show me sadness. In my point of view, we are one when we're together." He smiled a bit at his words, "you've got to be kidding if you think that I will get away from you." He was drifting again. Maybe death wouldn't be so bad after all.  
"You're kidding me," a voice snapped Len from his peaceful thoughts. The boy jumped and turned seeing no one there; just that same black wall of nothingness. Though…it did feel a bit warmer. "We come all the way down here, thinking you're fighting dragons and rescuing fair maidens and you're sleeping!" That was Kaito's voice wasn't it?

Len was speechless as he felt the girl beside him stirring. "Len?" She asked rubbing her eyes with her free hand. "What's going on?"

He didn't bother to reply, only pulled them both up to their feet as he watched the dead end. There was more laughing and teasing he couldn't quite understand and then… A hand went through. Len pushed Rin behind him just in case. Bit by bit the body emerged from the wall. Gakupo. Not far behind him was Meiko, Kaito and the Pythoness girl. "How-?" Len asked still fairly speechless.

"Magic," was all Kaito with his usual grin. He paused a second only to glance around Len and look over at Rin. "This must be the Diva. Wow, she looks just like you Len."

"Nice to meet you," Rin replied shyly still a bit taken back also.

"That's good and all," Gakupo said glancing back, "but we should get out of here. I don't know about all of you but I'm feeling a bit cramped."

"Right," Meiko said, shoving Kaito back through the wall. Miku merely followed close behind, still feeling a tad guilty for what she'd done, especially when she saw the two there. Gakupo waited for them to go before turning back to the twins.

"You're not hurt I hope," he said frowning.

"No. We're fine," Len said still very confused. "I don't understand… The wall. It was solid. I tried everything."

"Yes, I assumed as much," Gakupo nodded. "There's a magical ward on this place. If you know how to avoid it all, you can slip through the cracks and get out unharmed. If not, well, we have heard the stories of the failed heroes," he turned and started to go but Len caught his arm.

"You did something didn't you?" Len asked narrowing his eyes.

Gakupo didn't look back. "Perhaps so. Perhaps not. One day I may tell you but for now, let's just get you two out of here." Len hesitated before letting the man go. Gakupo slipped into the darkness and vanished altogether. Then the blonde boy looked back at his sister, "Rin. Are you ready to get out of this place?"

The girl was hesitant but smiled and nodded slowly, "I was born ready."

* * *

One by one the group emerged from the hole in the wall and back into the whole of the mountain. "Well that was one of the weirdest things I've ever done," Kaito said looking himself over to make sure nothing had happened to him.

"You're telling me," Meiko said looking back at Gakupo came out followed by the twins. "Well now, this is the dragon Diva?" The woman asked with a smirk as she looked at Rin, who was busy looking around curiously.

"This was the sky I saw every day?" She asked in awe. "I guess I really haven't seen stars."

"Allow us to take you them then m'lady," Meiko said bowing. Rin was a bit confused by that and even the others were wondering what she was doing. "I failed in saving the last dragon Diva. I'm sorry… But I was glad I was able to help rescue at least you."

Rin just stared a moment then nodded and curtsied back, "thank you. I am forever grateful to you."

Meiko stood back up and looked towards the only exit she could find. "Well now that that's over. Shall we?"

They all nodded and headed for it but they hardly had to take three steps before Miku stopped and held her head. A moment later, Rin did the same. Both girls flinched in pain and it was Len and Kaito who went to their side. "What is it?" Len snapped right away.

"The dragon," Rin said through clenched teeth. "It…It's not dead…"

Miku winced and almost fell to her knees had it not been Kaito who caught her, "and it's not very happy…"

Suddenly, the entire mountain shook sending each one of them to the ground. "I thought it was dead!" Kaito shouted over the noise of the rumble. "Len killed it didn't he?" He asked looking towards the boy who seemed just as confused if not more so.

"I thought I did," Len said grabbing his sword that rested by his side. The blood stains were finally dry on the blade.

"You thought wrong," Gakupo said narrowing his eyes, "we have to get out of here before it takes down the entire mountain!" The roaring noise was heard from below them as the cave shook more and more, the walls were crumbling, the platform was breaking. "Run!" The man shouted making a run for the exit.

Kaito nodded and scooped Miku into his arms, following after the scholar. "Len!" Meiko shouted running over to the twins, "I can carry her." She offered when she noticed he couldn't quite get her to move on her own. The boy nodded and helped get Rin up. Meiko held tight as she made a break for the others. Len went right after as the platform crashed down and out screeched the huge beast.

All of them turned to look upon it's black scales and glowing red eyes. It screamed at them, clawing and snapping trying to get out of the hole. "Dammit!" Kaito shouted as they went running again. All but Len who was glaring at the dragon with the same intensity as before.

"Len!" Meiko shouted when they had reached the arch of the exit. "We have to get out of here now!"

Len said nothing for a long time, fist clenched around his sword handle. "Go!" He called back to the others before he stepped forward into a defensive stance. "I can't let it escape."

"No!" Rin shouted back at him but Meiko wasn't about to let her go. "No, the cave is collapsing! Len, you have to run!"

Len didn't look back at them though, "Meiko. Get my sister out of here," he said before running towards the beast.

"No!" Rin screamed as Meiko nodded and bolted out of the cave. No one in the group looked back as the blonde haired girl screamed some more, reaching her hand out for her brother. "LEN!"

Her voice echoed through the mountain, over the rumbling and noise of the falling rocks. There were loud screeches coming from the dragon inside and a battle cry was heard even from Len. Rocks and boulders were falling from every direction, the group had to dodge to their best ability. "There!" Kaito shouted when he spotted the day light outside. No one stopped, even when their legs were aching.

One by one they spilled out of the mountain and onto the path they'd followed in the first place. They collapsed into the grass, ducking in case any debris hit them. The whole ground shook for a long time and then everything was still. Everyone was in shock at what had happened as Rin scurried to her feet weakly, cupping her mouth over her lips. "Len!" She shouted some more as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "Len…!"


	14. Epilogue

A journey ended is a journey begun.

- Anonymous

* * *

"Mistress Megurine," Ruko said bowing down before the oracle. The woman turned to look down at the warrior frowning. Ruko made no eye contact, "forgive me. They reached the mountain… The army men have faltered back and returned to better suit themselves but we fear they-"

"It's too late now," Luka said raising her hand to silence the girl. Ruko looked up confused. Luka turned and stared out the nearest window, expression blank and emotionless. "They've already completed their quest. The journey is over."

"Mistress?" Ruko asked slowly rising, "I do not understand."

"They've rescued the diva and destroyed the dragon," Luka explained with a little sigh, closing her eyes as she remembered her most recent visions. "There's nothing left for us to do. We could arrest them, we could kill them, but it would do nothing. They've already finished…"

"I see," Ruko frowned looking towards the window also. "Then this boy really was the one."

"Perhaps," Luka said opening her eyes again and offering a faint smile. "Heroes have to die eventually after all."

* * *

"What do we do now?" Miku asked as they walked along the dirt road, heading back for the towns. No one had spoken for hours. They all had watched the mountain collapse in on itself. They'd all waited for Len to magically appear. They all listened when Rin screamed until her voice gave out. There was nothing left to do but leave and go on with their lives.

"Not sure," Gakupo said frowning, holding his arm. "The dragon is dead. We've started the first ripple in a series of many. There will be no more divas, no more fear of the great beast. Whole kingdoms will have to learn how to live all over again."

"What do we do though?" Miku asked softly, leaning against Kaito. He'd been carrying her for a while down, even though she knew he was probably getting sore from doing so. She told him she could walk but he refused to put her down. Then there was Meiko who was still carrying the fallen angel. Rin cried herself into exhaustion hours ago and even in sleep the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Gakupo hesitated before sucking in a sharp breath, "I have no idea."

He considered going back to the palace. Maybe Luka would call off the guards. Maybe he'd be welcomed back as some sort of hero. He could live as a scholar again and not a runaway. It was a nice dream. Meiko could do the same. The two of them could return to the kingdom they'd fled and try to rebuild their lives but it wouldn't be the same. Besides, there were too many bad memories there now.

"We go home," Kaito said suddenly. His voice was solemn and full of a kind of heaviness the others hadn't heard before. "We start over. We pretend that none of this nightmare ever happened."

"Sounds good," Meiko snorted under her breath, "but do you honestly think it's going to be that easy?"

"When is anything ever that easy?" Kaito asked with a sigh.

* * *

"Rin!" Miku called, waving at the girl as she walked over. "There you are, I've been looking for you."

"Hm?" Rin turned around and looked at the older girl as she approached. Both of them were much better looking than they were after the whole ordeal. Miku had returned to her old kind hearted self and was living her life to the best of her ability, though the guilt weigh deep in her heart still. Rin on the other hand… "I'm sorry," she said with a weak smile, "I should have told you I was going out."

"It's fine," Miku said waving her hand in the air. "What…are you doing?"

Rin paused then turned back around looking up at the sky. "I was just looking at the cloud. They're so pretty…"

"They are," Miku nodded and looked up also. Her hair blew around her and she often thought of cutting it. "It's been a wee now, hasn't it?"

"Yes," Rin said softly. "I'm still not even sure what I'm doing here."

"You're living with me," Miku said with a tiny laugh. Rin just sort of nodded. They had all gone their separate ways once they reached the cities. Gakupo decided to stay with Gumi and write about what he'd learned. Meiko had returned to the palace in hopes of stopping any kind of attack Luka had begun planning. They still hadn't heard back from her. Kaito and Miku had taken Rin back to the village they grew up. Most of the villagers welcomed Miku back with open arms while some took a while to warm up to the idea of having the Pythoness living with them. Miku had taken Rin with her to live in her old cottage and after a day or two, Rin started to feel better. She started experiencing things like grass, the sky, different foods, hot water, things like that thanks to Miku and Kaito.

"Will Kaito be visiting tonight?" Rin asked thoughtfully watched the clouds wisp into nothing.

"I think he said he'd stop by," Miku nodded. "I was going to make stew. Would you like that?"

"I don't know," Rin said looking back at her with another smile. Tears streamed down her face, "I haven't tried stew yet."

* * *

The night sky was just as beautiful as the day sky in Rin's opinion. It was very different than the one she'd grown up with her whole life. This one was real, for one thing. The stars were always shining so bright. The moon changed faces. It was calming and relaxing and all she ever did was sit in the grass looking up waiting. She could hear Miku and Kaito inside the little cottage, talking to one another. Sometimes they would laugh but Rin knew they were talking about her.

"Len?" Rin asked holding her pendant close. "Len… Where are you?" She asked closing her eyes. She felt numb when she thought of him. The only family she'd ever known and he was gone. She was grateful to the others for taking her in, but it wasn't the same thing. She wanted to live life and she wanted to do it as a whole. Not a half.

Crickets chirped around her feet and the stars were as bright as ever. The girl leaned back and felt her hair fan around behind her head like a golden halo. Did she look like an angel? Could Len see her from up in heaven? She didn't think so…

"I will fight to put an end…" A soft voice whispered in the darkness. Rin jumped clutching the pendant tighter. What was that? Was she imagining things? Slowly she sat up and pulled the pendant to her eye level. It was cold as ever. There was no warmth but…she heard his voice. "I saw you crying alone…"

"Len?" Rin called staring at the pendant with wide eyes. She started panicking when she got no reply. "Len! I can hear you! Answer me!" She got nothing though. She felt the tears welding up again as she shook her head pulling the pendant close so that it touched her forehead. "Where are you?" She asked trying hard not to let her voice crack.

"The thumping sound of the infinite world resounds," the voice sang out but she still couldn't tell from where. Maybe she truly had gone mad. Maybe she was dead. Maybe she died and left her body somewhere and now she was hearing his voice. "To declare the end… All lives end and grow back." She felt the tears falling again as she clutched the pendant tighter so the ends pointed into her hands. She didn't care though. She just held it close and squeezed her eyes tight.

"Again in the paradise of light and shadow," Rin whispered hearing herself hiccupping. She couldn't cry now! She'd done enough crying. "Let my wish… Let my wish…!"

"Let my wish reach there." Rin jerked her head upward suddenly. When had anyone approached her. Better yet… When had he approached her.

Len was standing before her, smiling warmly and holding out his hand. He didn't look the same. He seemed stronger now. One of his arms was in a sling, his face was cut here and there. His clothes weren't the same though. They were all new. From coat to the heel of his boots, they were all new. "How?" She whispered in shock.

"I'm sorry. I stopped by to visit Gumi and found Gakupo there. They helped me and got me situated. Told me where to find you too." His voice was sore, she could tell. She knew the rasp that came from singing for a long time.

"I don't understand," Rin said. "I thought you were…"

"It takes more than a crumpled mountain and fire breathing monster to keep me away from my other half." He said grinning stupidly. He was like a child. Rin just stared for a while then smiled back and pushed herself up. She hesitated only a moment before launching herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself close. He was a bit surprised, though only a second as he wrapped his own arm around her middle. "Sorry Rin…"

"For what?" The girl asked burying herself in his shoulder.

"Making you cry so much."

Rin just smiled and stayed clinging against the boy for a long time, then opened her lips and begun to sing a soft tune. "Thank you, for giving me life in this beautiful world… And for the days we spent together… You gave me everything I needed and more. Thank you for it all…" She said taking in an even breath, "I'll sing forever just for you…"

Len nodded just sort of staring for a while before closing his eyes and letting himself relax. Finally he could relax. "No Rin. Thank you…"

* * *

Hey guys! Lame ending is lame right?

I finished this weeks ago and forgot to post it here. Forgive me...

I hope you enjoyed it. I'll be entering this in an upcoming fic contest, wish me luck!

-Kori


End file.
